


Christmas? I Think Not.

by Kassykins



Series: Love? It's complicated [8]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Cabin Fic, Christmas Fluff, Gen, Multi, Nothing serious, Other, a little action, a pinch of romance, cabin in the woods, impromptu hunting trip, just solid fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:06:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 27,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28015938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kassykins/pseuds/Kassykins
Summary: Your friends Axe and Sugar invite you to spent Gyftmas with them and their cousins in an idyllic mountain retreat. Hijinks ensue.A fluffy little 'what if' story based in the Love? It's Complicated series.
Series: Love? It's complicated [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1321625
Comments: 11
Kudos: 18





	Christmas? I Think Not.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay okay, this isn't technically a new story, having appeared in 'Love?... But What If?' last year already, but then in was in parts and the ending was a little fragmented... consider this the complete, tidy version, and well... 'tis the season!

"Fucking hell, Shugs, I will pay you good money to turn that shite off."

"You don't have good money, or you'd be driving your own car instead of bumming a lift off me."

You tried to lean over yourself to turn off the obnoxious carols playing on the radio, but Sugar playfully slapped your hand away, not taking his eyes off the road ahead, before changing gear. You tried again, only for him to grab your hand and hold it up in the air. You thought you had him when you went to use your other hand, as he couldn't take his off the wheel, but he surprised you by giving your arm a sudden pull, causing you to lose your balance and use your free hand to stop yourself face-planting into his crotch.

"Stop horsing around!" Anna scolded from the back seat "You want to crash?!"

"Sorry, Anna." you both chorused like scolded children, Sugar releasing you as you sat back up.

He made the concession of turning the music down, which you begrudgingly accepted.

"Is it much further?" you asked him.

"Isn't that just another way of saying 'are we there yet?'" he replied.

"I can say that if you prefer." you teased "Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"

Anna smacked you on the back of your head with her book. The sound it made startled Axe back into the land of the waking, but it took him a moment to figure out what was going on.

"are we there yet?"

You and Sugar burst out laughing, which only confused the poor skel, while Anna just sighed and sat back in her chair.

"I already regret coming." she lamented.

"After you begged mum and dad for two solid weeks to let you?" you reminded her "For shame..."

"seriously, though, where are we?"

"Not much further." Sugar assured him "Fifteen minutes at the most."

The skeleton adjusted his glasses, neat little braces shining in the light.

You'd never be able to thank his cousins enough for the effort they all went to to help fix his teeth - there were so many other things that they could have used that insurance money for, but instead they decided to change his life for the better. At least you'd be able to meet them when you finally got to the lodge they had rented for Gyftmas, up in the mountains outside Ebbott City.

"i'm surprised you wanted to spend gyftmas with us." Axe said to Anna "i figured it was more of a family thing for kids your age."

"We only do Gyftmas when you guys are around." she confessed "It doesn't really mean anything to us."

"huh..."

"But it's important to you." you added "And you're important to us, so we want to celebrate it with you."

"Right!" Anna agreed.

Axes smile relaxed with your explanation. With a stretch of his tired shoulders, he leaned against the back of your seat.

"so how's college going?" he asked for the fifth time since you got in the car, and for the fifth time you told him.

It was very peaceful this far into the forest, but you couldn't help be slightly on edge - you had been raised not far from there, and knew of several complete lunatics who made these woods their homes. At least they would recognise you, if you happened to run into them, but you didn't mention it to anyone else. No point getting them all paranoid.

Soon enough, Sugar turned into a side road that was near invisible from the main track, dirt compacted by the treads of tires and high trees on either side.

"If I hear a single banjo, we're going home." Anna quipped.

Sugar and Axe laughed. You kept your mouth shut.

At the end of the dirt road was a massive building, all wood and glass, with a few cars parked in front of it.

"Is it flats?" you asked, not believing this could all be one house.

"Nope, it's just that big." Sugar confirmed "Which is why we're only renting it for a week."

Anna whistled while you let out a 'damn...'. You hoped it was as nice on the inside as it was on the outside.

A streak of orange by the cars caught your attention - a skeleton stood there, slouched horribly, smoking a cigarette while looking into the distance.

"Remember what we talked about, Sans." Sugar said to his brother, who just let out an aggravated huff.

The orange-clad skeleton looked over as Sugar parked up with the other cars, giving you a lazy smile.

"Hello, cousin!" Sugar greeted happily "So good to see you again!"

"hey, bud." the cousin greeted "welcome to the party."

"What are you looking at?"

With a quiet laugh out of his nose, the skeleton pointed to the tree line a little way away. A small, round-headed skel and another human stood there, eyes fixed on the upper branches of the tree before them.

"BB!" Sugar called "Hello!"

"Hey Shug!" the little skeleton called back, but didn't look around "I'll come say hi in a sec, I'm just doing a thing!"

You busied yourself with getting out of the car and grabbing the bags. The taller skeleton introduced himself as 'Stretch', shaking your hand with a limp wrist.

"You're going to fall." the human called up the tree.

"No way." BB disagreed.

"We're about an hour from the nearest hospital." they went on.

"It's fine, it's fine!"

"You're going to break your neck."

"Got it!" a triumphant voice from up in the tree called down.

Anna, being a curious kid, walked forward to see what was going on, but you grabbed her hood to keep her back. You were inclined to believe that whoever was in the tree probably was going to break their neck trying to get down, and you didn't want her to be right under them. A loud swear and the snapping of wood confirmed your suspicions.

BB had some fantastic reflexes, and caught the falling body with his blue magic before it hit the ground. It was another human with a half-insane grin, clutching a scarf.

"Nice!" they cried, as if they hadn't just plunged nearly fifty feet at the speed of gravity "Here you go, Sam!"

"My hero." the other human replied drily as they took it.

That idiot climbed a whole ass tree just to get a scarf?

"allow me to introduce you." Stretch sighed "this is my brother sans, but we all call him bb."

"It's short for Blueberry!" the still-floating human yelled.

"Shut up, Reckless!" BB yelled back.

"and that idiot is reckless." Stretch finished "i'm sure you can figure out how they got that name."

"I have an inkling, yes." you replied.

The other human tied the scarf securely around their neck, leaving the other two to whatever game they were playing with Reckless still suspended by BB's magic. They were a very serious looking adult, with serious looking glasses and serious looking clothes.

"Hi, I'm Sam." they introduced, offering their hand "I'll be your designated adult for the next week."

That got a laugh out of you, and you introduced yourself in return. Further conversation was cut short when Reckless tackled Sam from behind, wrapping their arms around Sam's neck.

"Oh fuck, there's kids here?" they realised "Hell yes, shit's always better with kids around! Anything can happen!"

Sam elbowed Reckless in the ribs, which made them let go.

"I'm in college." you assured "My sister here-"

"Hel-lo!" BB interrupted flirtily as he stopped beside his friend, blue eyes turning to stars are they lighted on Anna.

"BB, no!" Reckless hissed quickly.

"Is _sixteen_." you finished pointedly.

"Hel-lo!" BB repeated, before shooting Anna the finger guns "Platonically."

Anna burst into giggles while Reckless smacked BB on the back of the head. The small skel held up his hands in a 'how was I to know?' kind of fashion.

"It's cold out here." Sam pointed out "Let's continue the introductions inside, shall we?"

With no more ceremony, the group ambled up the steps to the lodge. Inside was suitably fancy, but in a sterile kind of way - sure, it was very nice and had everything anyone could need, but it was very obvious that no-one lived there. No photos, no clutter, nothing personal, everything painted in neutral, inoffensive colours.

"How are your knees?" Sam asked suddenly.

"Um... fine?" you replied, sharing a confused look with Anna.

"That's good, because we're on the second floor." they elaborated "Sugar, you and your brother are on this floor, since the ceiling is the highest."

"I'll show them!" BB declared, placing a hand on back of Sugars legs (the highest he could reach), and herding them away.

"who the heck is that?" you heard Axe ask his brother as they were led off.

Stretch just sighed and shook his head as Reckless took Anna's bags, following Sam up the stairs, before he shrugged at you and wandered off into the house. You followed the other humans.

"There's six rooms on this floor." Sam explained as you got to the top of the first flight "Five bedrooms and a bathroom. The fire escape is on the right side there."

"If you jump out of it you can land in that tree I was in before!" Reckless interjected.

"Don't do that." Sam finished "Just to keep things simple, this is the skeleton floor."

A bit of quick mental maths told you it was going to be two skeletons to a room, since you knew there were going to be other cousins turning up as well.

"Onwards to the human floor!" Reckless declared, racing ahead.

Sam already seemed like they had had enough of Reckless's antics, sighing as they followed. Anna giggled again and grabbed your arm, leaning close.

"These guys are like chalk and cheese." she whispered to you "I wonder how they know each other?"

You had to admit she was right - while Sam looked they could easily have been a librarian, Reckless was dressed like the sight of a single flake would be enough for them to break out the snowboard.

"I work with Pap... um, 'Creampuff'." Sam explained, evidently having very good hearing "He and BB are cousins, and they currently live together, so Reckless and I happen to be in the same place every now and then."

"Pfft!" Reckless intoned "'I work with Creampuff', sure, that's your primary relationship with the guys."

Sam's ears went red, and they glowered at the grinning Reckless.

"This is the human floor." they went on, electing to ignore the taunting "Two bedrooms, bathroom, games room and home cinema."

"No way!" Anna gasped.

"Yes way!" Reckless cried, shoving Anna's bags into Sam's hands "Follow me, little sister, you're gonna love this!"

Sam's glowering continued until the two disappeared behind a door at the end of the hall. They turned to you with an annoyed look.

"I imagine this is what having a sibling is like." they added "One that annoys me to my very core."

"Pretty much." you laughed "But with more love."

Sam laughed quietly, smiling a little. Even that little change made an amazing difference to how friendly their face looked.

"Fire escape is on the right again," they went on "And the bedrooms have balcony's. All outer windows and doors have child locks, so push the outer button first."

They continued talking as they opened the door to one of the rooms, depositing the bags they had been given onto the bed nearest the door. From what they said, it seemed like they were an only child, but they really gave off an 'older sibling' vibe as they explained the houses safety features.

"Oh, and one more thing." they finished "How do I say this... while I know you trust your friends, and you have my word that you can trust mine, there will be some other men here that may make you feel... uncomfortable. Should you feel unsafe in any way-"

"You can relax." you reassured Sam before they got any more awkward "I'm an expert in dealing with men who make me feel unsafe."

Sam's eyes darted to the side a little as they considered your words, but to your surprise their only reply was a wry smile.

"Just know that Reckless and I are only next door." they said "And we're connected by the bathroom."

You understood what they were saying, and you appreciated the gesture.

"Before I forget," they went on "Do you need anything from the shop? There's a storm blowing in, and I don't want to risk us getting snowed in without provisions."

"Let me check out the generator first." you requested "Then I'll come with you. I suspect I'm going to be the one stuck making Gyftmas dinner."

"Can't be any worse than what BB and Reckless came up with last year. Come find me when you're ready."

With that, Sam left to let you settle in. You moved Anna's bags to the bed furthest from the door, wary of the warning you had just been given. Sugar hadn't mentioned anyone like that, and he'd never put you in a situation you'd be unsafe in. Then again, he was also guilty of being a little naive ... you'd have to ask him later. After getting Anna's shopping list, you checked around the house for the generator and water heaters, before finding Sam in the living room reading a book.

"All okay?" they asked.

"There's enough fuel to last about 2 month." you confirmed "But I want to get some WD40 and de-icer, just in case."

"Alright then." they sighed, carefully placing their bookmark and before suddenly shouting "Papyrus! We're going!"

There was a sudden clattering of feet that reminded you a lot of a dog at the call of 'walkies', and a skeleton who looked almost exactly like Sugar, only far smaller, appeared in the doorway.

"Ready when you are!"

As the three of you returned to the front door, the various inhabitants of the house gathered in the foyer to see you off. Or more accurately, to ask you to get things for them.

"I'm not buying you tequila." Sam told BB sternly.

"But it's not Gyftmas if you're sober!" he whined, before suddenly covering his mouth and looking sheepishly at one of his cousins "...Sorry..."

"it's alright." the cousin shrugged "you guys get me something nice to drink?"

"I have the perfect sparkling fruit juice in mind!" the skel coming with you announced "Rest assured brother, there will be plenty of non-alcoholic options to choose from!"

"love you too, paps."

Just as 'Paps' (wait, wouldn't that guy be 'Creampuff'? Did you really have to call him that?) was about to open the door, it suddenly burst open on its own, causing him to jump back.

"jesus fuck this shit's heavy!" the newcomer swore, throwing the bags he was holding on the floor as he barged into the house "ya pack half the fuckin' house, boss?!"

"Well excuse me for wanting to be prepared!" a shrill voice from outside argued back.

"Red!" Creampuff greeted happily "You're just in time!"

"Hey, skinny!" he returned, giving the taller skel a hearty slap on the shoulder "How's the weather up there?"

Getting a good look at the guy... was he the one Sam had warned you about? He certainly stood out against the others with his sharp teeth, and his frame was much larger than the rest. He may even have been a little bigger than Axe... As the 'hello's and 'how's your mother's went around the crowd, Red's eyelights landed on you. Immediately, they retracted, raising your hackles a little, especially as his smile gave a small twitch.

"hey, i'm red." he greeted, offering you his hand.

You were about to shake said hand when another body barged through the door, carrying even more bags as they shuffled between you.

"We're here two minutes and you're already hitting on people?!" he criticised "Creampuff, I'm sharing your room, I refuse to sleep in the same location as this horn dog!"

"We need to get going." Sam mentioned quietly.

Creampuff... fuck it, you're just calling him Papyrus, that nickname is too ridiculous. Papyrus asked BB to show the loud newcomer to the right room while you rest of you excused yourselves. To your surprise, just as you had clambered into Papyrus' car, the door opposite yours opened and Red climbed in.

"Are you coming too?" the driver asked.

"that okay with you, skinny?"

"Please stop calling me that. And yes! The more the merrier!"

"i didn't catch your name." Red said to you as the car started moving.

"Didn't throw it." you replied, making him snort out a laugh before introducing yourself properly.

"correct me if i'm wrong, but ya don't look like a skeleton." he mentioned "ya with one of my cousins?"

"Define 'with'."

Reds grin could not have been more shit eating.

"just friends, huh." he realised.

Sam loudly cleared their throat, causing the skeletons grin to fall.

"ya okay there, bud?" he challenged.

"Of course." Sam answered, eyeing him in the rear view mirror "I love watching grown ass men put the moves on college kids. It's not creepy at all."

Red grimaced as you burst out laughing.

Despite his chastisement, the conversation remained friendly enough for the 40 minutes it took to get to the closest supermarket. Red was clearly interested in you, but was cautious to toe the fine line of propriety with Sam still keeping their eye on him. It seemed Papyrus was the shy type, as you could see him smile at something that was said every now and then, but he didn't make any comment.

"You just focus on Gyftmas Dinner, Papyrus and I will take care of the rest of it." Sam told you when you finally arrived, handing you a note with their phone number on "Call me when you're ready to pay, we'll meet up again. And don't leave the shop on your own."

"god, mum, yer so embarassin'!" Red joked "i ain't a baby bones any more, leave me alone!"

Papyrus started snickering, covering his mouth with his hand as he wrestled with a trolley. Sam gave him a dry look, but otherwise remained unaffected.

"Call me if you need anything." they finished, looking back at you.

You just nodded, restraining a laugh yourself. Red grinned at you as the other two left, but you silenced him by shoving a trolley his way.

"Make yourself useful." you suggested.

"i'm at yer command, darlin'." was his response, spinning it around to catch the handle.

You fished around in your bag for the list as you entered the market proper, Red casually on your heels. Four humans, at least eight monsters, with the possibility of more turning up just for the day... after a little mental maths, you dropped four bags of potatoes in the cart. Three heads of broccoli, five large carrots and parsnips, two heads of cabbage and an economy bag of brussel sprouts.

"vegetarian are ya, doll?" Red asked, eyeing the cart.

"Vegetables are much cheaper to bulk up on." you pointed out "We're already getting beef, pork, chicken and fish, but to bulk out on that is going to easily triple the bill. If we're going to have enough for everyone then we need to make sure there's plenty of veg... fuck, pigs in blankets!"

Red laughed as you added what you had forgotten to the list.

"what about turkey?" he suggested.

"Turkey is a waste of money." you argued "A large chicken is the same size as a small turkey, and people can hardly tell the difference."

"ya seem pretty sure of that."

"I'm a chef."

"i thought ya were a student?"

"Still got bills to pay."

"fair."

He sauntered after you into the next aisle, leaning on the trolley as he looked around idly.

"so if yer a chef, i take it yer plannin' on cookin' for us?" he asked.

"Just Gyftmas dinner." you said "Be a bit of a busmans holiday otherwise."

"thank fuck." Red laughed "the few of us who can just about cook are never the first in the kitchen, if ya get my drift."

"Having seen the shit my dorm mates make, yes."

You stopped at the fresh fish. The side of salmon was making you drool, but that shellfish was so fresh you could still smell the brine...

Wait, you were currently up a mountain. Where did that shellfish come from?

You picked up the salmon. When in doubt, avoid shellfish.

"what are ya doin' with this?" he asked.

"It's the starter." you told him "Salmon en croute with lemon and garlic butter. Fuck, dill... wait here."

You left your list with Red as you ran back to the fresh department. As well as dill, you picked up some lemons, fresh garlic, and other various herbs. You were tempted by the ready-made pastry you saw chilling in the fridge... but you had already told Sugar he could make it. You'd just pick up the ingredients.

When you returned, Red was right where you had left him, but in the trolley were several bottles of wine.

"I'm not buying those." you warned him.

"i'll pay." he shrugged, giving you back your list "i just thought they'd go nice with yer menu."

"Are you a sommelier?”

"nah, i'm a skeleton."

You snorted out a laugh, making his grin widen, and he signalled for you to lead on.

You ran into Sam and Papyrus a couple of times as you sauntered around, making sure you hadn't doubled up on snacks and drinks. The final time, the skeleton was stopped at the beginning of the alcohol aisle, almost as if refusing to go further, watching Sam to and fro.

"ya good, kid?"

Papyrus startled, a too-wide grin covering his face.

"Of course!" he assured "Just waiting for Sans... SAM! Just waiting for Sam!"

You knew a Freudian slip when you heard one, but had the mercy to stay quiet. Remembering you needed some cooking wine, you hazarded into the aisle yourself. Sam seemed completely disinterested in that bottles and boxes around them, fiddling absently as they talked on the phone.

"Oh my god, absolutely do not do that." they told whoever they were talking to. "One cup is fine!... No, do not get a bigger cup, that's not the issue here... well, how dirty is it?... how did you? Scratch that, I don't want to know. Is your dad there? Hasn't he done laundry before?... Well, tell him that laughing is very unhelpful right now... just follow the instructions, you dumb kid!"

Well, at least you weren't the only one Sam mother-henned on. You found the wine you needed and returned to the waiting skels, pretending not to notice that Red was taking a supportive hand off Papyrus' back.

"Sam's on the phone." you reported to him "Something about a dumb kid not knowing how to do laundry?"

Confusion crossed the tall boys face for a moment, before falling into understanding, his tight posture relaxing completely. Red chuckled, whole body shaking with the timbre of it.

"that's god damn magic." he opined "got everythin' we need, doll?"

"Almost." you confessed "I still need to get my secret santa present."

Both skeletons gasped theatrically, clutching imaginary pearls. You couldn't help but laugh at how perfectly timed it was.

"Yeah yeah, I didn't put a lot of thought into it." you dismissed "But what am I going to get a guy I don't know? I figure one of those toiletry packs or something."

"who's yer secret santa?"

Not able to remember his name, you pulled the envelope from your bag and handed it to Red. His face immediately twisted to a grimace on reading it, and you heard Papyrus, who was reading it over Red's shoulder, suck in a breath.

"trade with me."

It wasn't a request.

"Seriously?"

"seriously." Red responded, shoving the envelope in his pocket "ya'd thank me if ya met the guy. i got comic for mine, so just get him a big ol' bottle of ketchup or somethin'."

"Please don't." was Papyrus' response "Oh, I saw that new Steven Hawking book in the entertainment aisle - he'd like that!"

"Sold." you agreed "You guys just about done?"

"Almost. Meet you at the till."

With a nod, you wandered off, Red pausing only a moment before following after with the trolley.

"don't mean to criticise yer taste, but the wine you picked is some cheap garbage." he told you.

"It's for cooking, not drinking." you informed him.

"ah. so, what's yer poison?"

"I don't drink."

"yer in college and ya don't drink?"

"You sound like my dorm mates. It's not that unusual."

"if ya say so. 'least comic has someone to be sober with."

"Not just me." you defended "Axe can't drink thanks to his medication, and then there's Anna-"

"anna?"

"My sister."

"oh?"

"Younger sister."

"say no more. i'm a whiskey man, myself."

"Fascinating."

By the time you had gotten the book and headed to the tills, Papyrus and Sam were already there. Sam was still on the phone, looking more exasperated by the moment, but Papyrus had somehow managed to get them out of the booze aisle.

"Well does it say it has nuts in it?!" they cried.

"Don't let the frown fool you." Papyrus stage whispered, leaning down to your level as you started to load the belt "Sam is everyone's older sibling. They aren't happy otherwise."

"Why the hell would you do that?!" Sam suddenly yelled into the phone, causing the poor cashier to startle "Tell your dad I'm going to kick his ass if you end up in hospital again over something this stupid!"

Once all your shopping had been scanned, Papyrus packing with the precision of a tetris grand master, the cashier told you the total. You inwardly grimaced, mentally apologising to your bank account. Sure, Sugar was going to go halves with you, and Sam and Papyrus' bill was going to be much bigger, but it was still a hefty amount for a college kid with a part time job.

Before you could even get your wallet out, however, Red put his card through the machine.

"Hey!" you objected.

"what?" he smirked "i said i'd pay."

"For your booze, not the whole lot!"

"but is that what i said?"

"You-!"

"You got a free dinner, stop complaining." Sam interrupted, casually pushing you aside to start packing the next lot.

Red was insufferable the entire way back, grinning if you dared so much as look at him. The sneaky bastard had planned on doing that the entire time, hadn't he? Not that you minded being saved a bit of money (a lot of money), but you seriously resented such trickery!

It was already starting to snow as you pulled up the almost hidden dirt road to the lodge, making you glad you hadn't waited around. It took several trips, even with Sugar coming out to help, to get everything from the car to the kitchen. Being the most at home in the kitchen, the others left it to you to tell then where to put things. Almost automatically, Sugar took the high shelves, Sam the low ones, and Papyrus the fridge. Red took all the booze, including your cooking wine, and absconded with it. You were going to object, but Sam and Papyrus immediately insisted that it was fine. Sugar gave you a subtle nod when you looked at him, so you let the matter go.

Once everything was away, you went to find Anna. You found her in the living room with the others, who were lounging around reading, playing a card game of some kind, or in the case of Comic, sleeping. To your surprise, Anna was now wearing a chunky knitted jumper the likes of which you knew she didn't own, which hid her over-mature assets and displayed in bright red and green stripes that she was off limits. If you had to put money on it, you'd bet that was Sugar's doing. You'd ask him later.

She was staring intently at two skeletons, who were sat on the coffee table in front of her. One of them was Stretch, although he had removed his bright orange hoodie, but the other one you weren't familiar with. From the uncanny resemblance to Stretch and Papyrus (and, y'know, being a skeleton), you could guess he was another cousin.

"You good?" you asked Anna, taking in her steely and thoughtful expression.

"I'm trying to figure out which one is Stretch and which one is Rus." she told you, not taking her eyes off them.

... Seriously? Sure, they were similar, but there were marked differences. Stretch didn't have a gold tooth, for one.

"Don't tell me!" she quickly ordered when you opened your mouth "I want to figure it out on my own!"

You shot a look at the boney pair, who gave identical amused shrugs.

"Have fun with that." you sighed, wandering off to find where Sugar had disappeared to.

* * *

You found the one downstairs bedroom easily enough, giving a knock before entering. Sure enough, your friend was there, wrapping presents on the floor.

"Don't even ask." he teased immediately "I've already wrapped yours."

"Dang." you replied with a click of your fingers "Foiled my entire plan. I thought the point of the secret santa was not having to buy so many presents?"

"It's more like not having to buy a lot presents for people you don't know." Sugar corrected "Immediate family and friends are excluded. More importantly..."

He pointed to the wall beside the door. Pushed up against it was the biggest bed you had ever seen, no doubt designed for the larger monster, with Sugars pillow and pyjamas laid neatly at the top. It was nothing short of massive!

"Oh my god." you declared, delight washing over you "I'm gonna do it."

"Do it." he urged.

"I'm gonna."

"You have to."

Kicking off your shoes, you leapt bodily onto the bed, your regular-human frame dwarfed by the sheer size of it. What was it about massive beds that was so enticing? You stretched out fully, but none of your extremities could reach the edge in either direction.

"I'm spending the rest of the week here." you joked, making Sugar chuckle "I hope you realise that."

Your friend put down his wrapping, standing only long enough to get to the bed, and laid down beside you. He only just fit, head up against the wall and feet all the way at the end.

"An extended sleepover sounds good to me." he agreed "We can do each others hair and gossip about boys! It'll be so much fun!"

You burst out laughing before a thought occurred to you. You shuffled up the bed and lay on your back next to your friend.

"Speaking of gossiping about boys." you began "Sam said something that got me a little concerned."

"Oh?"

"That one or two of your cousins might make me feel unsafe?" you elaborated "Can you tell me a thing or two about them?"

"I can't think who Sam might have been talking about..." he pondered, before shrugging "But I can tell you, sure! That one you went with to the supermarket is Creampuff. Believe it or not, he's the youngest of us all! A little on the nervous side, but a good guy."

"I got that impression." you agreed.

"The other one was Red. He's a Fell, but don't hold that against him. Works as a tailor, I believe."

"Seriously?"

"The smallest one is BB, who's best friends with Reckless. He's a sweetheart too, as long as he takes his meds."

"Anti-depressants?" you questioned.

"You'd think so, but no." Sugar corrected quietly "Anti-psychotics. The same ones Sans takes, actually, but he doesn't want anyone to know that."

"who doesn't want anyone to know what?"

It was gratifying that Sugar startled as much as you did at the sudden voice. How Axe had managed to shortcut onto the bed on your other side without either of you noticing, you would never know. He gave you a mischievous grin, to which you could only shake your head.

"BB's medication." his brother repeated when his soul had calmed down.

Axe gave him a blank stare for a moment, faulty memory betraying him. With a shuffle of his body, he pulled one of his journals from his pocket. It was 'people i know', and he lay right at your side on his back, holding it high above you both as he found the right page. Sugar shuffled closer too, essentially making you the squishy filling in a skeleton sandwich.

"bb...bb... oh, here he is. closet nympho, apparently."

"Sans!" Sugar scolded as you burst out laughing.

"what? am i wrong?" he challenged.

His brothers face lit up bright orange, but he didn't correct him.

"BB's older brother is Stretch, the one with the orange hoodie." he went on "He's very chill and likes cuddles."

"he's also the family drug dealer." Axe added, having found the right page "just light stuff, though."

"Rus is the one who looks like him-"

"he's the one you go to for the hard stuff."

"Sans!"

You couldn't stop laughing as the two continued in that vein, Sugar appropriately sugar-coating everything while Axe was brutally honest. They even started describing cousins that weren't there, or expected to turn up, just to keep you going.

After a while, Anna knocked on the door to let you know dinner was ready.

You soon discovered that not taking charge of the cooking had been a mistake. You regarded the mess in front of you, which Reckless assured you was pizza, with nothing but open contempt. How do you fuck up pizza? Bread, sauce, cheese, topping, pizza. What the hell was this? Anna, not wanting to be rude to your hosts, tentatively picked up a slice. Whatever that was on the top oozed off, something chunky following it. You slapped it out of her hand before heading to the kitchen to do it properly.

Over dinner, you got a proper introduction to Edge (big shrill guy), Black (little shrill guy) and Rus (hard drugs guy), and they all seemed like chill enough people. They certainly didn't concern you enough that you would feel the need to seek out an older human to protect you. Was Sam just overly sensitive?

Once the dishwasher was loaded, conversation turned to how to spend the evening. Everyone was tired from the days journeys, and didn't want to do anything that would expend too much energy. A movie seemed like the obvious answer, but then the argument was which movie? What genre?

If you didn't know any better, you'd say that arguing was the activity for the night.

"Shut the hell up, you bunch of whimpering ninnies!" Reckless suddenly declared, slamming something down on the table "I have the solution!"

They held up the item - it was a disc case, but you could tell well enough it was a video game, not a film.

"Until Dawn?" Black read sceptically.

"reckless, no!" Stretch immediately barked.

"Reckless yes!" BB gasped in delight.

"how can thirteen people play one game?" Red asked.

"This game is about choices," Reckless announced, but the devious glint in their eyes told you they had something else in mind "We can vote on it!"

There was a general murmur of assent, which was by far the closest to a unanimous decision anyone had come to. As you all sauntered up the stairs, it occurred to you that Reckless would have had to bring their own console, so must have been planning this from the start. Sure enough, they already had it plugged into the projector that powered the home cinema.  
Not all that interested, you sat at the back. To your surprise, Red quickly sat next to you, flashing a grin at Sugar, who looked a little insulted that his seat had been usurped.

"sorry cuz, but ya had yer human all day." he said "gotta learn to share!"

With a disgruntled huff, Sugar stepped over you both and sat on your other side. You guessed he wasn't in the mood for sharing, as he 'accidentally' shoved Red in the shoulder as he got comfortable, causing him to fell from his seat.

Red was glaring daggers at him as he got up, but Sugar just sipped his drink and put his arm around you.

"Simmer down, you deserved that." you teased.

Red grumbled, but sat back in his seat without complaint.

"ya know what this game is about?" he asked.

"Not really." you admitted "The others seem excited about it, though."

"that's bb's default state." Red shrugged "it's cute for a day or so, then it gets real tirin'... can i help you?"

Following Red's eyeline, you found Axe sat on Sugars other side, giving Red a suspicious look.

"do i know you?"

"i'm yer cousin, idiot."

"that's not how i know you."

"oy..." Red sighed deeply.

"Did you take your pills, Axe?" you asked.

"yes." he defended sulkily, before his face went blank "... i think..."

Sugar just rubbed Axe's back comfortingly as the overhead lights went off. Less than a minute into the game, you figured out why Reckless and BB had wanted to play it (a group of people in a lodge in the winter, with a killer stalking them. Of course). When Axe's single eye light went out, Sugar quickly shuffled him out of the room, claiming they were going to bed. You leaned into Red a little.

"Hey, what's BB's HP?" you whispered.

"why?" the Fell responded.

"Because I want to know how much of his ass I can kick before he dusts."

Red just chuckled. At the front, you could see a mortified Stretch with his head in his hands, no doubt acutely aware of the real reason the two had left. Sugar's vacant seat was immediately taken by Anna, who wasn't the best with horror.

It wasn't until Red shifted under you that you realised you had fallen asleep, and on his shoulder no less. Well, that's not embarrassing at all. You mumbled an apology, but he just smiled at you.

"sorry i woke ya." he said "i'll be ya pillow any time ya like, cupcake."

A sudden pain in your hand woke you up properly, and you found it grasped firmly in both of Anna's. Her eyes were glued to the screen as one of the characters met a grizzly death, lips tight and skin a few tones too pale to be healthy.

"Alright, that's enough." you decided "We're going to bed."

"I'm fine." your sister said, entirely unconvincingly "You can go, though."

"Yeah, no." you replied "I'm pulling out the rarely used rule of 'I'm the adult and you're the child'. Bed, now."

From the way Anna jumped up, it seemed like she had just been waiting for you to say that.

"'night, babe." Red bid as you shuffled past him.

"Don't call me that." was your 'goodnight', making him chuckle quietly.

When you were dressed for bed and the lights were off, you finally felt yourself start to relax. It had been a long day, and you had some heads to bang together tomorrow, but once that was all out of the way you could finally take the time to have some fun with your friends. You needed the calm after your turbulent term at college.

Said calm was soon disrupted when you felt Anna gently shake your shoulder.

"You... you don't think wendigo's really exist... do you?"

Your only answer was to raise your duvet cover, an invitation Anna took, snuggling up beside you as you covered her over.

"Thanks." she said.

"No talking."

"Sorry."

Tomorrow was another day.

* * *

You had been idling on the fine line between sleep and waking for some time when a sudden rhythmic tapping rudely pulled you firmly into the day.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap, tap.

Tap.

Tap.

"Do you wanna build a snowman?" your sisters voice started to sing from the other side "Come on let's go and play!"

You fucking hated that movie. You didn't used to, but between Suzy and Anna, you must have seen the thing half a million times. Sometimes you'd be all alone in a room and just hear it start to play, like it was on constant loop in the ether of your brain.

"Go away, Anna!" you grumbled loud enough for her to hear, covering your head with the warm duvet to try and get back to sleep.

On the other side of the door, three voices burst into raucous laughter.

You had said that on cue, hadn't you?

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF-

Wait, those voices.

With a start, you remembered that you had some asses to kick, throwing off your covers to accost your prey.

* * *

It had been a difficult night. Axe had been restless, which meant no rest for his brother either. As the dawn light gave way to the day proper, Sugar knew he would have to give up on getting any real sleep. It was a tentative knock on the bedroom door that finally forced him up, and his heart sunk when he saw Axe start stirring again. On the other side of the door stood BB and Reckless, both looking very small.

"Um... hey..." his tiny cousin started.

"Good morning." Reckless added, uncharacteristically quiet "It's, uh, it's been bought to our attention that we owe you and your brother an apology."

"Sugar, I am so sorry!" BB swore emphatically "I got so caught up in having fun with everyone, I didn't even think about how that game might trigger you!"

"In my defence, I honestly had no idea about any of it." Reckless said, holding up their hands "But now that I do know, I want you to know I am unreservedly sorry, and nothing like that will ever happen again!"

Well, this had your fingerprints all over it.

"It's okay, BB." Sugar said, his voice sounding far quieter than he meant it to.

"no it ain't." Axe grumbled, suddenly right behind him, lack of sleep very clear on his face "yer a jackass, b."

BB looked ready to cry, bright blue tears building in his eyes.

"I deserve that." he whimpered "But I'll make it up to you, I swear! Let me make you breakfast! You like waffles, right?"

Axe grumbled. He did like waffles. Reckless and BB continued to apologise and brag about their waffle making prowess on the way to the kitchen, Sugar following behind.

"don't do it." was the only warning they got from Stretch, who was sat on a windowsill smoking a joint just outside the kitchen door.

In the next second, the two tricksters barely dodged a frying pan thrown at them with enough force to dent the wooden floor when it landed.

"Food vandals out of my kitchen!" you barked, possibly scaring them even more than the projectile had "Out!"

"But, I-"

They scattered as you threw a metal pot at them.

"Shug, your human is terrifying!" BB screeched as he ran.

Axe burst out laughing, and Sugar barely stopped himself.

"You have no idea." he chuckled, but the pair were long gone.

There were few people in this world that Axe let himself get close to, physically or emotionally. Between his low HP and memory issues, letting the wrong person near him could be a fatal mistake. You, however, he no longer even hesitated with. His lack of rest the night before robbed him of his manners, and he wrapped his arms around you as you stood at the hob making breakfast, putting his chin on top of your head.

"good aim." he complimented.

"I missed." you pointed out tersely.

Despite the tension in your shoulders, you didn't tell him to back off.

"Did you sleep well?" you asked him.

"not really."

"Me neither. Hey, why don't we make today a lazy day? Watch some romcoms and eat junk food?"

"heh, you know me well."

It was only at that point that Sugar noticed his brothers speech pattern had gone back to normal. He really did feel comfortable around you, didn't he? To Sugars surprise, he found he was a little jealous. Sure, as his brothers primary care giver it was a relief to him that there was someone else he could rely on when he needed a break, but as your best friend, he felt kind of left out. That hug looked really cozy...

"You okay there, Sugar?"

Your voice broke him out of his piteous thoughts. Axe was still clinging to your back, but you had managed to turn around to face your friend.

"Tired." he admitted.

You gave him an understanding smile, one that warmed his heart.

"Why don't you pick the first movie?" you suggested "Get yourselves set up upstairs. I'll bring breakfast up."

"What about Anna?"

"She's building snowmen with your cousins. I'm not really in the mood for playing around myself."

You really were his very best friend - you were willing to put aside having fun with your sister to make sure he and Axe felt better.  
He really hoped you liked your Gyftmas present.

With a gentle tug on his brothers shoulder to urge him on, Sugar grabbed the duvets and pillows from their room and headed up to the cinema.

* * *

Axe fell asleep quickly, barely 20 minutes into Sweet Home Alabama. With him out for the count, Sugar changed the movie to Spy Kids 2, and you didn't have the heart to tease him about it. The tall skel was asleep too before the end, leaving you trapped between the two of them. At least you could reach the laptop to put something else on, nestling into the warm duvet.

You missed this. Being with your real friends. Not that there was anything wrong with your dorm mates or college friends, you were just... on a different level of being to them. They were typical young adults, who had typical upbringings with their typical families. Axe and Sugar, though? They were your people. People who life kicked the shit out of, but not only did they get back up after, they flipped life off with a smile while moonwalking away.

You loved these skeletons. When Axe remembered you without having to check his journals, despite the fact you had been gone for months at college, it was a kind of touching that was difficult to put into words. You didn't give a chicken fried fuck about Gyftmas - you just wanted to spend more time with these two before term started again.

"so this is where yer hidin'."

You looked around at the soft voice. Red closed the door to the room slowly to stop any sound before properly coming in. As the seats on either side of you were taken, Red sat on the floor in front of you.

"naptime?" he asked quietly, gesturing to the other two.

"Jealous?"

"god, i am. i sincerely wish i was asleep right now."

That got a chuckle out of you.

"What about you?" you asked "Not playing in the snow with the others?" 

"eh, when ya grow up in a snowy place, the stuff loses a lot of it's appeal." he admitted with a shrug "yer sister's havin' the time of her life, though. got everyone into teams for a snowball fight."

"Sounds like her."

Red grinned at the soft tone in your voice, his eyes crinkling like a happy cat. He shuffled a little where he sat, supposedly to get a better look at the screen, but really so he was gently leaning against your legs.

"what are we watchin'?"

"Nothing, really. I've been trying to decide since these two fell asleep."

"mind if i make a suggestion?"

* * *

Ghostbusters 2 was just coming to an end when the door to the room burst open, startling a drowsy Red back awake. You hadn't realised you had been nodding off until Anna started yelling, which managed to wake up Sugar and Axe too.

"You said they weren't real!!" she cried, voice panicked and betrayed.

"Wha...? What's not real?" you asked, wiping the sleep from your eyes and stretching.

"Wendigo's!" she flustered "We found Wendigo tracks!"

"I guarantee you didn't."

"Come on!"

Anna almost stepped on Red in her hurry to drag you from your seat. It had been so nice and warm under that blanket, and even in your groggy state you mentally prepared yourself for the cold of outside.

Whatever was going on, it seemed that playtime was over, as everyone was taking off their coats and kicking the snow off their shoes as they piled in the front door. Sam handed you your coat when they saw where you were being dragged, which allowed you time to pull on your boots before Anna started to pull you again. There were still a few people outside, stood in a circle around something on the ground. Anna pushed them aside in a way only a kid could get away with as she dragged you over to the area.

"Look! Wendigo tracks!"

You looked at where she was pointing. Sure enough, there were tracks in the ground. You levelled a look at BB and Reckless, who immediately jumped behind Stretch.

"Not us!"

"Not it!"

You just sighed, crouching down to get a better look at the tracks. They looked like they were made by a large deer or small elk, except that they were sideways.

"It's a Wendigo, isn't it?!" Anna continued to fret, grabbing hold of Stretch as well "Which way did it go?!"

"It's not a Wendigo, Anna." you reassured in a tone that left no room for argument "It's a gyftrot."

"... gyftrot?"

"It's a kind of deer-like monster that walks on all fours." you elaborated as you stood back up "They're all over these mountains. It's nothing to worry about."

"So it's just a monster? That's all?"

"That's all."

Anna almost laughed, she exhaled that quickly. Her whole body relaxed as the fear drained from her.

"Just a monster..." she repeated, before spinning around and smacking Reckless on the arm "Don't scare me like that!"

"I didn't!" they swore immediately, shooting you a panicked look.

"Anna, go inside and warm up." you suggested "You'll get sick if you're out in the cold too long."

"Okay, mum, geez." she sighed.

As if on cue, Sam called to Anna from the house, telling her about the hot chocolate that was waiting for her, and did she want marshmallows or whipped cream? Knowing her, it would be a towering monstrosity of both. Nobody else said anything as she left, the tension rising until the door was securely closed.

"Did any of you see it?" you asked seriously.

Edge, Black and Rus looked suitably sombre, shaking their heads, while Stretch, BB and Reckless looked confused.

"the gyftrot?" Stretch clarified "can't say we did."

"What's the problem?" Reckless asked.

"This gyftrot is enormous." you answered "Almost three times the size of a regular gyftrot, and none of you saw it?"

To your surprise, BB gasped in delight, quickly turning to Reckless.

"Is it another skinwalker?!" he asked, eye lights turning into bright stars.

This time, everyone gave Reckless a look, causing them to laugh nervously.

"Looks to me like the Fell gyftrot." Edge supposed "If it is, we need to be careful."

"I don't like that it was so close to the house." Black agreed.

"i don't like that none of us saw it." Rus finished.

"Let's go find it!" BB suggested "Hunting trip! Yay!"

"Yay!" Reckless agreed.

"no!" Stretch cried in the same, albeit incredibly sarcastic tone, grabbing both of them by the back of their jackets and dragging them back to the house.

Reckless had the solid build of any avid sportsperson - if they wanted, the could easily break Stretches grip, but they didn't even try. Were they just pushing Stretches buttons to ensure that BB couldn't go? Only after the front door slammed behind them did the others summon their bones attacks.

"Can you track it?" Black asked seriously.

"Can you take it out?" you replied.

That was all the confirmation either of you needed, and you started to track the gyftrot through the snow. It wasn't an easy thing to do - the gyftrots sideways hooves had tricked many an experienced hunter. You soon lost sight of the house as you followed the trail deeper into the woods, following the prints in the snow, disturbed undergrowth and scuffed trees. In general, gyftrots weren't dangerous at all - entire herds of them lived in these mountains, and while they tended to avoid people, they weren't known for violence.

Unless it was this time of year. Unless they were Fells. Then? Then you'd have better luck surviving as a BBQ sauce covered steak thrown into a pack of starving wolves. You didn't want this thing anywhere near your sister, or your friends. How had no-one seen it?

The three skeletons followed behind you silently, weapons ready. They didn't question your direction, which was a refreshing change of pace from dealing with humans. When the tracks disappeared, you took a moment to look around... there, the bushes had been disturbed. It was almost invisible unless you knew what you were looking for. You held up a fist, signalling for the others to wait, and crept forward, stalking silently through the undergrowth.

You spotted a gyftrot, but it was way smaller than the one you were hunting. It was lain in a thicket of brush, obscured from sight, but something beside it caught your attention.

An infant. Newborn, judging by the size of it. Is that why gyftrots got so aggressive this time of year? Because it was their birthing season?

Unbalanced snow crunched under your boot, and the mothers face snapped to you in an instant. While there were far more gruesome looking monsters out there, the gyftrots sideways mouth and massive eyes would never not freak you out. It looked like something out of a child's nightmare.

You did the only sensible thing one could when confronted with a semi-sentient animal and it's baby, and backed away. The mother watched you the entire time, alert and aware. Once you were out of the bush, you turned around to leave.

"It's white." you heard a female voice whisper behind you.

You paused before standing and rejoining the others. With a shake of your head, they knew the hunt was still on.

A white gyftrot? That might explain how the others hadn't seen it in the snow.

The thought made you stop.

The tracks had led to this clearing before you lost them.

You looked around carefully, blowing into your hands to warm them. There, in that mess of thorny brambles. Now you were looking for it, the distinctive curve of the gyftrots horns stood out against the leafless vines. Hands still at your face, you pointed with your index finger. Black, who had been the only one looking at you, understood immediately. Before he could act, you held up two fingers - wait - and pointed back at the mother and her baby. He looked confused, since you had already told them nothing was there, so you held up two fingers again, bending one over to indicate a larger and smaller being. It took him a second, but he got it, giving you a serious nod before turning to his brother. You weren't familiar with the signals he used, but Rus understood him perfectly. Black made sure he had Edge's attention before he continued.

"I'll bet there's not a gyftrot within a hundred miles of here!" he suddenly bragged loudly "They must have heard that I, Sans of the SwapFell clan, former deputy-head of the Royal Guard, was in the area!"

"As if!" Edge immediately disagreed "If anything, the reputation of the great and terrible Papyrus of the Fell clan was enough to send them running!"

What the hell were they doing? Rus seemed to know, as he lit up a cigarette in a feigning of nonchalance, but the tightness of his shoulders gave him away. You guessed you'd just have to trust them.  
Immediately, the thicket of brambles erupted, scattering to dust and dry twigs as the massive white gyftrot suddenly stood, charging at you before it was even fully on its feet.

Large bones grabbed you before you could react, Edge leaping out of the way with you in his arms. Black leapt in the other direction, disappearing up a tree, leaving only Rus in the rampaging monsters path.

To your shock, he squared up, and in that moment you realised how tightly the skel held himself that he looked so slight and disarming. He was a lot bigger than he wanted people to think. Rus braced himself as if to catch the gyftrot, but the second they made contact, both of them disappeared.

"Shortcut?" you asked aloud.

"Eyes on the sky!" Black ordered.

Everyone looked up. Almost instantly, a bright beam of light shot up above the evergreen canopy.

"There, go!"

Edge took off recklessly fast, not having put you down yet. His long legs gave him the advantage over Black, but the smaller skel was a quick bastard, jumping and dodging over the underbrush. You soon came to the clearing Rus had taken the gyftrot to, and before you could object a wall of blue bones surrounded the area, pinning everyone in.

The first fucking time you needed a weapon in five years, and you were unarmed!

The gyftrot rounded on the new arrivals, sick of Rus dodging and weaving around it, and billowed frozen mist from its mouth.

"I thought I could smell bones." it hissed "Where's your cracked brother, skeleton?"

"We meet again." Edge replied grimly "Just like old times."

"Not this time." the gyftrot replied, worrying the ground with its front hoof "This time you'll DIE!"

Edge leapt away as the other monster charged him. What was it with Fells and trying to fucking kill each other?! He handed you to Rus, both jumping in different directions to avoid the gyftrot. Rus placed you in the branch of a tree, not high enough to get over the wall of bones, but enough to avoid the rampage below.

"please wait here." he said as he turned to leave, but you grabbed his coat and pulled him back around.

"I need a weapon!" you told him "A rifle, a handgun, a fucking knife, anything!"

The skeleton seemed shocked a moment, then gave you a crooked grin, pulling out his phone to get to his inventory. From it, he pulled a rifle.

"just don't hit my brother." he requested as he gave it to you.

He shortcut away, and you turned your attention back to the fight. You had heard about the Fell gyftrot - 'the', not 'a', for when anyone mentioned the Fell gyftrot, there was only one they could be referring to. It had terrorised the monsters of Snowdin every year, goring and maiming its way through them, until they formed actual hunting parties to take the thing down. The entire Royal Guard of Fell, a formidable force, could only reduce the casualties, and the beast always got away.

You weren't letting it anywhere near Anna.

Edge was acting almost as a matador, luring the gyftrot around the clearing as Black and Rus threw attack after attack at it. Black favoured a massive battle hammer, of course made of bones, which left craters in the dirt when it hit, but it was too slow to hit the rampaging gyftrot. Rus used a bow and bone arrows, the string blue magic, and his aim was true, but the slivers of bone weren't powerful enough to do much damage. Edge couldn't get close enough to use his sword without getting gored by the gyftrots horns, but all three skeletons were too fast for their foe to land a hit on them.

You could always wait for Rus' arrows to whittle the creatures HP down, but sitting around and watching was never your style. You checked the rifle sights, the ammo, felt the balance of it in your hands.

It would do.

You steadied yourself on the branch, bracing yourself for the recoil, and put the butt of the rifle to your shoulder. You aimed at the centre of the clearing and waited.

Edge danced through your sights. You paused a breath, then pulled the trigger, hitting the pursuing beast on the broadside of its back.

Unlike magic bullets, guns were a weapon that existed with the sole intent of killing and maiming, and to a monster, intent was everything. The gyftrot let out a deafening shriek as it was hit, probably having a good chunk of it's HP taken off. Every monsters eyes turned to you, no doubt having forgotten you were even there. You capitalised, hitting the gyftrot again. It screamed and fled, leaping bodily over the blue bone barricade.

"After it!" Black yelled.

"Don't let it get away!" Edge ordered at the same time.

They both leapt after it, the bones disappearing. Rus had the sense to come back for you, his weapon disappearing as he scooped you up.

"You have more bullets?" you demanded.

"as many as you need, sweetness."

Well, looks like you made a friend.

Holding you securely, Rus sprinted after the other two. He was just as fast as them, catching up easily. Even injured, the gyftrot was nimble, dodging and weaving around the trees and rotten logs. The guys bullets couldn't land a hit.

The beast sprinted across a road, it's massive foot landing right on the hood of a passing car, crushing it. The cars momentum carried it forward a good few feet, slowing it down and no doubt injuring it further. It still ran off, trying to shake off the injury, and judging by the shouting you heard behind you as you raced past the car, the people driving it weren't injured either.

A bright flash of yellow got your attention against the greys and browns of the forest. A signpost for a local gorge, the name of which you knew well. Just like that, you knew exactly where you were.

"Drive it left!" you yelled to the others.

"That's easy for you to say!" Black protested, clearly starting to lose his wind.

"Trust me!" you answered.

To your surprise, both he and Edge disappeared from sight. It wasn't like a shortcut, where the monster just disappeared, but like they walked through something.

Fucking magic, man.

They reappeared on the right side of the escaping beast, forcing it to turn left. Every time it tried to change the direction, you told the boys how to correct, forcing it where you wanted it to go.

Finally, the thing stopped, path blocked by a 150 foot fall into a swollen river. It and the skeletons were breathing hard, exhausted, as Rus put you back on your feet. You took the extra bullets he gave you and reloaded your gun calmly.

"Welcome to Dead Deer Gorge." you announced "Local council tried to rename the place a few years back, but it never stuck. Can you guess why it's called Dead Deer Gorge?"

The gyftrot levelled you with a look of pure hate.

"You've got three choices." you went on "Fight us, jump, or try to get over that rotten log there. A piece of advice, though? I've never seen anything get over the log."

The gyftrot regarded the log in question. Some long-expired tree, which from the size of it might have been growing for a few hundred years before its death, crossed the gorge perfectly, but in the damp slime and moss atop it could be seen the tracks and frantic scrapes of any beast that tried to cross it and failed. The gyftrot looked back at you, and you all readied your weapons.

"Not today." it growled.

With an unnatural twist of it's body, it leapt into the gorge. You rushed forward just in time to see it hit the water. It didn't dust, unfortunately, but between it's injuries, exhaustion, and the frigid raging currant, you didn't rate it's chances.

You all watched, gathering yourselves, as it disappeared from sight.

"Now what?" Black wondered, hands on his knees beside you.

There was a pause as you considered.

"hot chocolate?"

* * *

When you arrived back at the house, your thighs were starting to ache from the trudge through the snow. Everyone was in the living room, sat around watching Reckless teach Anna some self-defence moves. Sam was reading a book, Comic's slumbering head on their lap, but you could tell they had one eye on the event.

"C'mon, little sister, you can do better than that!" Reckless encouraged, taking her hands and positioning them into a fighting stance "Aim for the bottom of my nose, that's where it's the weakest."

"I don't want to hurt you." Anna laughed uncomfortably.

"You won't, you won't!"

"where have you lot been?" Red asked when he saw you come in, sat beside Stretch looking thoroughly disinterested in it all.

"Hiking." you answered shortly.

"hiking?" he repeated, raising a brow bone.

"Hiking."

"in the snow?"

"Yes."

Further interrogation was silenced when Anna excitedly called your name.

"How come you never taught me self-defence?" she asked.

"Because I was expressly forbidden." you told her, recalling the exact conversation you had had with your foster parents.

Anna opened her mouth, the question clear on her lips, but she seemed to think better of it. Reckless had no such filter.

"What? How bad could you possibly be?" they laughed, coming over to you "C'mon, put up your dukes, let's see what you got!"

Ten seconds later, Reckless was on the floor, gasping and panting, clutching their middle in agony. BB was soon hovering over them, Stretch looking on in concern. Anna covered her mouth with her hand, also concerned, but not entirely surprised.

"I think mum and dad were right..." she pondered.

An enthusiastic pounding on the front door grabbed everyone's attention. Everyone was here, were you expecting anyone else at this point? Papyrus went to answer it as BB helped Reckless up to sit on the sofa.

"HELLLOOOOO~!" a flamboyant voice rang out in the air as soon as the door opened "Cream, baby, it's so good to see you!"

A panicked silence swept the room, the skeletal cousins looking between each other as if trying to find the culprit among them.

With a flourish of neon blue feathers, a brand new skeleton burst into the room, going so far as to throw a handful of glitter into the air.

"hello, gorgeouses!" he greeted, his voice different but no less flamboyant than the last "how are my favourite cousins doing this gyftmas eve?!"

The silence and accusatory glances remained. Papyrus and another tall skeleton entered the room, this one dressed incredibly scantily for the weather, in what you could only assume was black latex.

"C-cousins!" Sugar greeted, picking up the baton as he got to his feet "What a pleasure to see you!"

He shot you a wide-eyed, almost panicked expression, and in that instant you knew that these were the ones Sam had been so worried about.

"Allow me to introduce you," he went on, placing a hand on your shoulder "These are my cousins, Lust and Charm."

"oh, which one of you delicious morsels is anna?" the shorter one asked, running a bright purple tongue over his teeth.

Sugars hand tightened on your shoulder before you could act. So that's why he had done that... Reluctantly, your little sister raised her hand. His eyes ran up and down her a moment, and if Sugar hadn't been holding you back...

"catch up to me when you're 18, beautiful, we'll have a night on the town." he winked, before addressing the others "someone trade secret santa's with me, what I bought is not suitable for this kid."

Anna was a smart girl, she knew a predator when she saw one. She used the opportunity to sidle up to you, wrapping her arm around yours.

"little sister, huh?" the skeleton realized, eyeing you up "of course, you're clearly the older one with a body like that."

"You must be Lust, because that was the opposite of charming." you responded.

Lust grinned at you, while Charm burst out laughing.

"i like you." Lust opined "i like you a lot."

In a blink, Red and Axe were both on their feet, and Sugar used his grip on your shoulder to pull you back against him. Someone behind you clapped their hands in an authoritative fashion, and all eyes turned to them. Sam was on their feet, walking towards the fraught group.

"Lust, Charm, welcome." they greeted "You actually made it for once."

"Well, you guys always leave it to the very last minute to invite us, so we always have other plans." Charm explained "But not this year! We purposely kept our schedules open so we could spend the season with our very favourite cousins!"

"imagine, leaving it until yesterday to invite us!" Lust added, his overly-dramatic manner revealing that he knew exactly what was really going on "for shame!"

"i'll trade secret santa's with you." Axe offered, before realising he had forgotten who it was and looking to his brother, who nodded subtly.

"you're a good egg, you sexy beast." Lust winked.

"Hey, let me show you where you guys are sleeping!" BB interrupted, pulling Reckless up after him "Just upstairs! Come with me!"

BB led them off. Lust and Charm walked with a distinctive swish of their hips as they followed them, very noticeably checking out Reckless's ass. Everyone froze until they were out of earshot.

"what the fuck?!" Red swore quietly.

"why did you invite them?!" Comic added.

"i didn't think they'd come!" Stretch promised "i just invited them so they wouldn't feel left out, i didn't think they'd actually show up!"

"So this is your fault." Sugar surmised.

"shug, i wouldn't have told you to bring your friends if i thought they'd turn up!" he went on "i wouldn't expose a sixteen year old kid to those horn dogs!"

"that's-" Red started.

"I believe you." you interrupted, startling them all.

Stretch looked shocked, but happy. You really did believe him, and the reason for that was BB - not only was he very childlike, up to the point where Stretch felt the need to protect him despite being an adult, but Axe had called him a 'closet nympho', so spending any amount of time with such overtly sexualised skeletons would only end badly.

You turned to Sam, who adjusted their glasses uncomfortably.

"Straight talk, how bad are they?" you asked.

Sam sighed through their nose, considering your words.

"Are you in danger? Probably not." they admitted "Do those guys have a hard time with the word 'no'? Unfortunately, yes. You just need to be firm, like disciplining a dog."

Anna's grip tightened on your arm. Sam's gaze softened when they turned to her.

"You'll be fine, sweetheart." they swore "They recognise you're a child. As bad as they are, they're not that bad."

"Do not take off that jumper anywhere but our room." you ordered her anyway.

"I swear, I never would have invited you if I knew they were coming!" Sugar assured you "And I certainly wouldn't have let you bring Anna!"

"It's alright, Shug." you sighed "What's done is done. We just have to figure out how to deal with it."

You already felt a migraine building. Sugars large thumb rubbed supportively on your back, while Red ground his teeth, eyeing the way Lust and Charm had disappeared.

* * *

Dinner was a simple affair - pasta, garlic bread, vegetables. God knows you'd be spending enough time in the kitchen tomorrow. Despite the simplicity of the meal, your temporary house mates couldn't be more complimentary, and there wasn't a single swipe of sauce or crumb of garlic bread left at the end of the meal. Your cooking wasn't anything great, so it made you worry about what these skels were eating on a regular basis. Lust and Charm had some... interesting compliments for you, comparing your cooking to various kinds of orgasms. You ended up covering Anna's ears and glaring daggers at them until they stopped.

Just like last night, the conversation turned to the nights activity. This time, however, it was solved very quickly with a suggestion from the newcomers.

"poker." Lust suggested "since we have some scores to settle from last time."

"you can't play poker with this amount of people." Red pointed out.

"I have no interest in playing." Sam elected.

"But you have the best poker face!" Reckless argued.

"What are we playing for?" Sugar asked, his retail salary not nearly generous enough for games of chance.

Lust and Charm shot each other sly glances before looking back at the group around the dining table.

"clothing."

"We're out." you said immediately, grabbing Anna's arm to take her upstairs.

"With exception of Anna." Charm replied as if it was obvious.

"I really don't want to see you all naked." Anna agreed, her sixteen year old mind not nearly ready for that amount of naked man.

Papyrus let out a string of stuttering, but no actual full words, to the point where Comic ended up patting his back supportively.

"alright, alright." Lust conceded "we don't all have to play. anyone who doesn't want to can go upstairs and play videogames like the child they are."

"I have more in my bag." Reckless told Anna "Non-horror ones. Go ahead and take a look."

Anna nodded, but wasn't on her feet nearly as fast as Papyrus was, who at least had the manners to hold the door for her. Surprisingly, they were the only people to leave.

"Everyone else find a partner, then we'll have the perfect number of players." Charm finished "I'll get the cards."

"who needs a run over of the rules?" Lust offered.

You and Sugar immediately rock-paper-scissored, since one of you would have to partner with Axe due to his memory issues. Sugar won with rock to your scissors, and used his win to chose to be his brothers partner. Axe was naturally happy with this, but it left you with a conundrum - who were you going to partner with?

BB had wasted no time jumping into Reckless's lap - literally - to discuss their strategy. Rus and Stretch sealed their deal with a fist bump before slouching next to each other and lighting up a cigarette each. Black and Edge loudly stated their desire not to see each other naked, so teamed up in order to win. Comic predictably teamed up with Sam (the only thing you'd ever seen him do yet), sitting between their legs. You were starting to understand Reckless's previous teasing, especially as Sam wrapped their arms around his middle and whispered something in his ear, making him chuckle.

Options quickly dwindling, you stood up to find a partner. You quickly felt a hand on your waist as Charm sidled up to you.

"Want to team up, beautiful?" he asked with a wink, and for the first time you noticed his eye lights were a hot pink "But I have to warn you, I am awful at this game!"

Before you could even open your mouth, your soul was turned blue and you were pulled away, deposited in Red's lap as he put a protective arm around you. The stink eye he was giving Charm was borderline feral. For his part, Charm just gave a coy smile before returning to his brothers side.

"don't worry, doll, i got yer back." Red reassured.

You took up the deck of cards Charm left on the table, and proceeded to cut and deal them like a Vegas cardsharp. Red's shock was delicious.

"I think you'll find it's me who has your back." you replied.

You weren't kidding. You didn't have a TV growing up, since your father was convinced that the government was using its radio waves to control peoples minds... and no, you weren't kidding about that either. He had taught you to play all sorts of card games, but poker seemed to be the favourite of paranoid survivalists across the mountain range.

You all started simple - watches, gloves, shoes and socks - but you were soon wagering for larger items of clothes, such a shirts, shorts, and hoodies. Reckless was right - Sam had an impeccable poker face, but you could see from the disinterested glint in their eyes that they didn't really understand the game. Sans, still sat between Sam's legs, had a pretty good poker face too, but had the giveaway of tapping either Sam's left or right hand, depending on what move he thought they should make.

BB and Reckless were already in their underwear. Not that they were getting bad cards, but neither of them had ever heard of subtlety - BB's eyes burst into stars upon seeing good cards, and Reckless couldn't help but grin. Rus and Stretch were both shirtless, but also both high as a kite, giggling like idiots at nothing. Turned out those weren't regular cigarettes. They still had any clothes left at all mostly due to luck.

This disgusted their brothers, who had shed only their gloves, scarves and boots as yet, but their loud bickering about what to do next was a dead giveaway to what cards they had. Lust and Charm just retained their knowing smiles, no bothered at all by their states of undress - probably because they hadn't been wearing all that much to begin with.

You hadn't moved from Reds lap, idly kicking your one sockless foot, while Red had forgone the whole starting small thing and removed his shirt. He realised quickly that you had everything in hand, and was content to watch quietly with his head on your shoulder. The mounting pile of clothes on the chair beside you only confirmed that this was the correct decision.

"Be honest, you're counting cards, aren't you?" Sugar asked, squinting at you suspiciously.

"Shut up and give me your shirt." you replied.

With a sigh, he went to remove his t-shirt, getting it as high as his head only for Lust to suddenly let out a loud whistle. He immediately pulled it back down.

"And you've ruined it." you grumbled at the violet-eyed skel, throwing your cards on the table.

"not playing any more." Axe agreed, getting up from the table "gimme my jacket back."

"oh don't be that way!" Lust teased.

"I believe we're going to 'be that way' too." Sam added as Sans shuffled off their lap.

"I'm fucking freezing, dude!" Reckless agreed, making BB giggle as they cuddled him roughly.

There was a general murmur of agreement as cards were put on the table and chairs pushed back.

"i was just joking!" Lust insisted "don't take it so personally!"

Sugar could take a joke - heck, you had catcalled him more than once yourself - but his immediate negative reaction told you that Lust was protesting too much. You went to stand up yourself and retrieve your sock from Rus, only to find yourself pinned in place by Red's large arm.

"ya don't have to move just because the game's over, sweetheart." he purred in your ear.

You grabbed his pinky finger and bent it all the way back, causing him to yelp and release you. You stood up like nothing had happened, but heard Lust and Charm snicker behind you.

"It's getting late." you pointed out "Tomorrow's gyftmas, and I've got an early start. I'm turning in."

"Us too." Sugar agreed, hand on Axe's shoulder.

Haphazardly dressed, Reckless hauled a too-stoned-to-walk-straight Stretch to his feet and half carried him to the stairs. While Black shook his head disapprovingly at his brother, he did ask a reticent Edge to help him to the bedroom. You thought nothing more about it as you went upstairs to bed.

* * *

As a professional chef (haha, 'professional'), you knew how long things would take to prep and cook. You were used to making a lot of food, but you usually had more than one 4-burner hob and oven to work with, so you had to take that into account when planning how to tackle gyftmas dinner. The sun wasn't even up yet when you got up, Anna still sleeping soundly with her mobile in her hand, and padded silently out of your room.

You startled a little when you opened the door - slumped against the wall beside it was Red, arms crossed, very clearly asleep. What was he doing? Did he think he was guarding the room? He was doing a pretty lousy job if that was the case. In the ajar door of Reckless and Sams room, you could just see the back of another skeletons head. You'd put money on it being Comic. You closed the door to your room and headed down the stairs, cursing the cold as you descended.

Another surprise awaited you on the ground floor - Lust and Charm, sat in the living room with an entire bottle of prosecco each, and you could tell from their state of (un)dress that they hadn't even gone to bed yet.

"Hi?" you greeted.

"good morning, starshine!" Lust greeted, toasting you with his champagne flute "merry gyftmas!"

"Merry Gyftmas." you returned "What are you two doing up?"

"Trying to decide where to put the pickle!" Charm confessed, holding up a glittery glass pickle ornament "No matter where on the tree we put it, someone it going to have the advantage!"

Ah, you'd heard of this game.

"Well, who do you guys want to win?" you reasoned "And don't give me any of that 'fair play' nonsense either."

Both skeletons burst out laughing, clearly drunk as a skunks.

"i knew there was a reason i liked you!" Lust barked.

"What are you doing up so early, gorgeous?" Charm asked.

"If any of us is going to eat before midnight, I've got to get started." you shrugged "Only one oven."

"Ooh, are you a chef?!"

"I am."

Both skeletons bounced up excitedly, following you to the kitchen. Luckily for you, they sat themselves around the kitchen island, out of your way, and you started to take out the ingredients you needed first.

"you're sugar's human, right?" Lust asked.

"I'm his best friend." you replied.

"i have to know, is the big fella in proportion?"

"I've never asked."

"not friends with benefits?"

"Sugar's too much of a sweetie for that." Charm knew.

"i'd have him in my coffee any day."

"Please stop."

Lust just giggled at you, waving coquettishly. They drank in silence for a while as you preheated the oven.

"So, you on the market, beautiful?" Charm asked.

"Am I dating anyone? No." you answered "Am I looking? Also no."

"Focusing on your career?"

"Not especially. It's just not a priority for me."

"God, I envy you." he sighed miserably "It feels like I've spent my entire life looking for love!"

"you'll find it, bro." Lust assured, probably the least objectionable thing you'd heard come out of his mouth "a drop-dead sexy hunk of man like you? you'll be beating them off with a stick soon enough."

"You really have a way of ruining things, you know that?" you told him.

Lust gaped at you while Charm immediately covered his mouth to stifle his laugh. The shorter brother looked like he wanted to bite back, but seemed to think better of it, his eye lights quivering a moment. You waited for a response one way or another.

"okay, straight talk." he decided, face completely humourless "one bitch to another - stay away from red."

"Oh?" you challenged, raising an eyebrow.

"listen honey, we like to tease stretch and rus about being the family drug dealers, but we both know you don't take that attitude with real pushers."

"Red's in the game?"

"nothing i can prove." he admitted, holding up his hands "but i will say that edge gets very chatty when he's drunk. if even a little of what he says is true, red is a very dangerous man."

"He seems to think the same of you." you countered.

That got a grin out of Lust.

"yeah, i saw him camped out in front of your room when we went exploring." he chuckled, running his tongue over his teeth "i admit that i'll fuck anything with a pulse capable of consent, but i've never hidden that. red, though? what's he after? i don't think it's just a roll in the hay."

"I think that's enough." Charm suggested, taking the prosecco bottle from his brother "We should take a nap before the others wake up."

"want to come to bed with us, dollface?"

"Thank you, no."

"can't blame a guy for trying."

* * *

Red's plan hadn't exactly gone to ... well, plan. He had intended on being awake when you left your room, and give you some suave line about making sure those two perverts didn't try anything on you and your sister. His nature got the better of him, though, and he of course fell asleep. He only woke up when his brother kicked him roughly, shaking his head at the confused and drool covered mess before him.

You had been up for hours already, cooking up a storm. The entire house smelled delicious, he genuinely couldn't wait for dinner. Before dinner, of course, came breakfast, so after a quick change of clothes, he headed down to the kitchen. He might even offer to help you cook - he had no idea what he was doing, but you seemed to like being in charge, and he'd be lying if he said he minded.

He stopped when he got to the dining room, not sure what to make of the scene before him - Reckless and BB were wielding metal dustbin lids, one of which had a knife embedded in it. Rus and Stretch were calculating odds and collecting wagers on the other side of the room. Anyone with a brain was staying well away from the kitchen door, but it was attracting some worried glances.

Anna sauntered into the dining room, clearly mostly asleep, and waddled into the kitchen with no issue. It was kind of cute the way she called your name like a little kid before asking you what was for breakfast.

"I'm going for it." BB whispered.

Before even Stretch could react, a knife flew out of the kitchen door, missing the diminutive skels head by millimetres and embedding itself in the dining room wall. He and Reckless were out the door, makeshift shields clattering to the floor, in a blink. Rus and Stretch paid out to the winner.

Red took the risk of peaking into the kitchen. Sugar was making some kind of pastry on one counter, Axe asleep as he sat at the island, Anna settling onto the stool beside him. You were whisking something in a bowl, your back to the door. Those apron strings really showed off your figure...

"everythin' okay in here?" he asked.

Immediately, there was a knife to his nose hole. You looked at him with a glare that was both ice cold and blazing hot, not even blinking as you held the knife to his face.

"No food vandals in my kitchen." was all you said.

He was so fucking turned on right now.

That also explained why BB and Reckless were persona non grata - there was no-one in the world that the term 'food vandal' described better.

"just want a cup of coffee and a slice of toast." he swore.

"Brunch will be ready in half an hour." Sugar told him "Please be patient."

He was getting pretty sick of that giant freak interrupting. However, he held his tongue and smiled.

* * *

Brunch was a welcome distraction, and the fact you didn't have to make any of it was a nice touch. Your boy Sugar was pretty good when it came to sweets and pastries, and for some reason you could never pinpoint, Axe made the best coffee you'd ever tasted. The food vandals sat as far away from you as possible as you ate, keeping one eye on the knives in your arms reach.

The only apology was offered by Sugar, who explained you weren't a morning person, but never went as far as to actually say 'sorry'. As a survivor of a severe famine, you were sure your friend had the same opinion of wasting food as you did.

"okay, i'm going to be a total whore and suggest we open our presents now." Lust said once everyone had finished eating.

"Oh, now you're being a whore?" Charm teased.

"Too early for your bullshit." Black grumbled as he got up from the table, a statement you felt on a deep level.

To keep things interesting, you started with the secret santa presents. They were an interesting mix of humorous, inappropriate, and 'what the hell do I get this person I barely know?'. Comic liked his book, but guessed immediately who gave you the idea. It turned out Axe's secret santa had been Edge - since he had swapped with Lust, the tall skel ended up pulling a... very esoteric sex toy from a velvet bag, holding it at arms length between his thumb and forefinger, his face a picture of confusion and revulsion.

"What is that?" Anna asked, completely innocently.

"Nothing, read your book." you told her, shoving the pages of the novel she received up in front of her eyes.

"Oh, this one is yours!" BB announced, picking a tiny box from the pile and approaching you carefully "... Please don't stab me."

"Stop acting like I'm a demon." you grumbled.

"Yes, master."

Everyone had a giggle at that. You took the box from him, having a look over it to see if you could guess who it was from, but there was nothing personal to give it away. Just a box. A ring box, by the look of it. If it was, it was a big one. You untied the white satin ribbon and swung open the lid.

It was indeed a ring. The no doubt glass jewel was coloured pink, and was almost sarcastic in size - you thought it might feel like wearing in ice rink on your finger. It was always a gamble buying someone jewellery, even if you knew them well, and whoever had picked this out really had no idea what you liked.

However, it was a gift, and while tacky costume jewellery wasn't your thing, you had better manners than to scoff.

"Wow, this is something else." you opined, taking the ring from the box and slipping it on your finger (probably the only time you would before taking it to the charity shop) "What do you know, it actually fits. Thank you, whoever this was."

"Ooh, let me try!" Anna begged, tugging on your sleeve.

You handed it over. If she liked it, she could have it. Since gyftmas was more of a monster thing, the two of you hadn't bought each other anything.

The rest of the present opening was the usual affair, and the skels opened the gifts from their brothers and friends. You got Sugar a rainbow flip sequin scarf, to which he gasped in delight and immediately put it on, and Axe was just as overjoyed with his red leather journal with his birth constellation debossed on it. The first note he wrote in it was the you bought it for him. Everyone else? You were making them dinner, that was enough for people you barely knew.

Reckless and BB got Stretch a ticket to go skydiving, to which he responded with a strained smile. Sam and Papyrus exchanged books while Sans snuggled up under his new blanket. Black and Rus were acting very clandestine in the corner as they exchanged gifts, while Lust and Charm were still bothering a very bothered Edge about his secret santa gift, offering to show him how it worked.

"Hey, could you come back to our room with us?" Sugar asked quietly, sharing a look with Axe "Our present is a little... personal."

"Lust and Charm personal, or Black and Rus personal?"

The brothers exchanged a look.

"Second one."

You got up from the sofa and followed them, ruffling Anna's hair slightly - she was happy enough reading her new book. Maybe she could form a book club with Sam and Papyrus. In the room, Sugar softly closed the door to reduce the noise as Axe found the wrapped present on the beside table.

"Are you sure this isn't Lust and Charm personal?" you teased "Because this whole scenario is very suspicious."

Axe chuckled while Sugar flicked the back of your head before sitting next to his brother on the bed facing yours.

"This... may take a little explanation." he started "It's more of a monster thing, but it's very important to us."

You sobered. If it was serious to them - even serious enough that they preferred to do it in private - then you would take it seriously too. The brothers looked between each other as if picking their words.

"You are so important to us." Sugar started.

"you don't even know." Axe agreed.

"You're my best friend."

"ditto."

"There are no physical goods that can properly explain how we feel..."

"and if there were, we couldn't afford them."

"So... um... you trust us, right?"

"Of course." you replied, despite how suspicious that sentence sounded.

"Have you heard of soul bonding?"

"...Yes...?"

"well, there's a different version." Axe told you "the same kinda thing, but between family rather than lovers."

"You guys consider me family?" was your takeaway.

"yes."

"You're that important to us."

You were flattered, of course, even if your stomach had done an uncomfortable flip at the whole 'soul bonding' thing. That you were special enough to them that they wanted a piece of you with them always touched you deep within your core. That little voice of paranoia in the back of you head that sounded oddly like your father told you not to, but... fuck that voice. You loved and trusted these guys, and you knew how hard it was to express how much a person could mean to you.

"What do we need to do?" you asked.

The nervous skels before you grinned. Axe opened the box in his hands, revealing three crystal hearts, two upside down, and placed it on the ground between you all before taking your hand. Sugar took the other, and his brothers, completing the circle.

"I'll take the lead." he said "But if you feel uncomfortable and want to stop, just tell me, okay?"

You nodded. You felt them both squeeze your hands.

The room grew dark. Two monster souls appeared before you - they shone a dull white, and were covered in cracks, but you couldn't help but think they were beautiful. They were your friends, the very core of who they were, all their strength and frailty, all their joys and memories.

"Okay, here goes." Sugar said quietly.

You felt something deep within you pull. What little light was in the room was immediately dyed a bright pink as another soul stuttered into the room - yours. For the first time, you understood what people meant when they said human souls were stronger: while Sugar and Axe's souls looked beautiful and fragile, like the petals of a white rose, yours was bigger, brighter, and more solid. Like a large, heart-shaped light bulb.

"you owe me twenty bucks, paps." Axe said suddenly, breaking you out of your thoughts.

"I really though it would be courage." Sugar sighed.

"What? What's courage?"

"your soul trait." Axe went on "it's 'love', and you have a bit of 'kindness' in there too."

"Oh, cool." you laughed "You thought I would be courage?"

"You don't think you're brave?" Sugar asked.

"Not really."

You felt a pulse of emotion from the other souls - reassurance. Somehow, you felt like you shouldn't be so hard on yourself. The bizarreness of the feeling startled a laugh out of you, making the skels smile again.

"You felt that?"

"it's cool, huh?"

"It is." you marvelled "What do we do now?"

"concentrate on your feelings for us." Axe told you "bring them all right to the surface. we'll do the same."

You did as asked. The pink light of your soul grew brighter, making Sugar and Axe shudder. You stayed silent for a few moments before a sigh from Sugar signalled the end of the ceremony, all souls disappearing back into their respective bodies. You weren't quite sure what that had all been about, but it sure felt very personal. Axe let go of your hand and retrieved the box from the floor: the crystal hearts, previously clear, now shone in orange, blue and pink.

"It worked!" Sugar gasped in delight.

"can never be sure with humans." Axe explained to you, picking out the right-side up one and passing it to you.

You weren't sure what to expect as you took it, but noted the metal loop at the top that would allow you to put it on a necklace. The three colours mixing and shining as you examined it in the light were undeniably breathtaking, and you were glad you were able to do it right. Whatever it was. You would have put money on messing it up somehow.

You felt another pulse, much weaker, but still noticeable, coming from the crystal in your hand. More reassurance. You couldn't even begin to explain how, but it felt like your friends.

"Can you guys... feel my emotions?" you asked.

"Not directly." Sugar assured you, already tying his crystal around his neck "When we focused on our feelings for each other, we trapped them in the crystals. By holding them close to you, they react to your soul, and you can feel what we feel for you."

"try a different emotion." Axe suggested, struggling with the chain on his.

A different emotion? You thought about something that made you angry, something that twisted you up inside so badly it made you want to cut a bitch. Almost immediately, you felt the crystal react - you felt Sugar trying to soothe you, Axe trying to cheer you up.

The thought then occurred to you - not only did they want to keep a piece of you, but for you to have a piece of them. A gentle pulse of 'here I am!' radiated from the crystal, dispelling the lonely feeling that was threatening to intrude on you. Despite yourself, you teared up a little.

"Do you like it?" Sugar asked gently.

"I love it." you replied completely earnestly "This is the best gift I've ever gotten."

The boys smiled at you like a bright spring day, handing over the last of the chains they had prepared. You felt insanely loved, and you understood why they had been so nervous about you liking your gift.

'I love you too!' the pulse told you, the two tiny voices in perfect sync.

* * *

You hummed tunelessly as you cooked. You could hear the others arguing in the next room over the board game - most likely monopoly - but it was all in good spirits. Coming from such a large family, so many different personalities mixing together... what must that be like? It was just you and your dad before your foster family, and despite how it felt when you were all crammed in that too-small house, it wasn't a big one.

The storm Sam had promised on your first day here had arrived at full force, blocking out the windows in a flurry of blinding white, the whistle of the wind between the trees low and loud. The cousins that might have turned up just for the day had already called out, since apparently even shortcutting in this weather was a dangerous idea. Not that you minded - it just meant you had leftovers to last the rest of the week, and in your opinion there was more than enough people in the house already.

You were drawn out of your musings by a tired sigh and the shuffle of feet. Comic ambled into the room, hands in his pockets, looking a little lost.

"You good there?" you asked him.

"they broke out the booze." he shrugged "i thought it best to remove myself."

"How long have you been sober?"

He levelled you a searching look, silently asking who told you, but it was your turn to shrug.

"All the clues were there, no-one outright said anything."

"huh... you and i haven't really been properly introduced, have we?" he realised "i'm sans, 'comic' in the present company."

You shook the offered hand, officially introducing yourself in turn.

"in answer to your question." he went on "a few years. it's just harder this time of year."

"I can imagine." you sympathised "My dorm-mates have been driving me nuts all month with their drinking because 'the holidays are coming'."

"not a drinker?" he noted.

"Sober as a priest on Sunday." you admitted "I don't like the idea of being out of control of myself."

"sounds fair. need a hand?"

"Sure - potatoes still need to be washed and peeled."

Rolling up his sleeves, Comic washed his hands and got to work. He looked so very similar to Axe, you guessed he had the same kind of drive and mobility - sure enough, his thick fingers made dealing with the potatoes just difficult enough to keep him occupied.

"so, you're sugar's human, huh?" he said by way of small talk.

"So, you're Sam's monster, huh?" you rebutted.

This seemed to have the desired effect, as he looked confused a moment, mulling your words over.

"that's what that sounds like..." he realised "don't think i like it."

"I'm getting pretty tired of it myself."

"start over?"

"Sure."

"how long have you been friends with my cousins?"

"About three years now." you answered "Since Sugar came to work with me."

"i'm glad." he replied earnestly "we were all worried when they suddenly upped and moved away, but it's good to know they're doing well. take care of them, okay?"

"Of course."

You fell into silence for a little while, Comic washing spuds while you put the finishing touched on the coolie for the dessert.

"so about red..." he started.

"What about him?"

Comic looked at you nervously, lowering his voice just in case the noise in the other room died down.

"i'm not going to tell you how to live your life, and i know he's got a thing for you, but... i think you'd be better off staying away from him."

"You're the second person to tell me that." you admitted, matching his volume "Something I should know?"

"he's not a bad... that is to say," he corrected, and you took notice of him not being able to finish that sentence "i think he's on his best behaviour since so many of us are around. doesn't want to cause any problems in the family, you know?"

You nodded to indicate you understood.

"that being said, he can be incredibly manipulative when he wants something. if you're into him, then I guess just bare that in mind."

Manipulation was something you knew a thing or two about, unfortunately. You thought about the words of your therapist, who your foster parents had sent you to after you went to live with them - why would a person lie? What do they have to gain, or lose?

Red was easy to read - he clearly had an interest in you. Lust, who had told you to stay away? He seemed to have a carnal interest in you, but you didn't think that was because of you: a nickname like 'Lust' isn't earned easily after all. And now Comic. What did he have to gain from lying, or not?

"Are you and Red close?" you pried.

"kinda." he shrugged "it's weird. we're close enough that red doesn't want me to know what a manipulative bastard he can be, but distant enough that he doesn't realise i already know."

"How manipulative are we talking about, exactly?"

"he wouldn't hesitate to get me drunk, if i had something he wanted." Comic knew immediately.

So immediate, in fact, that you got the impression he was speaking from experience.

You thought about your trip to the supermarket, how Red had comforted a clearly distressed Papyrus when Sam was spending too long in the spirits aisle. How he had immediately absconded with the alcohol when you got back so it wasn't an easy temptation for someone fighting it's siren song. If Comic was uncomfortable even being in the same room with it, then it was clearly a struggle for him.

Even after all that, Red would be willing to get his cousin drunk to get what he wanted out of him?

Comic had nothing to gain from lying to you. He seemed like a laid back kind of guy, and the two of you had barely spoken the past few days. What did he have to gain from telling the truth?

You felt a little pulse from the crystal around your neck. Sugar believed in you. Axe trusted your judgement.

"Thank you." you said to Comic "I appreciate you telling me the truth about him."

The skeleton gave you a small smile before changing the subject, and the two of you ended up chatting casually about your younger siblings as you cooked.

* * *

It was Rus that first noticed the movement in the trees. The storm had died down just enough to make out the hazy black lines of the trees that surrounded the house. Tiny flashes of colour stood out on the monochrome landscape - trainers, snow goggles, a backpack. Noticing him so pensive, Black soon came over to see what the problem was. With a beckon of the diminutive skels head, Edge and Red joined them.

"what's up?" Red asked.

"Men in the trees." Black told him seriously "Around seven, all armed."

"bad intent." Rus grumbled, eyes fixed on the tree line.

They were all wearing masks and camo, and were a mix of human and monster. What did they want? Were they planning on robbing them? The skels weren't going to make it easy on them if they were.  
What were they going to tell the others? To expect a fight? And what about the humans? Fuck, there was a kid with them too!

"Sugar's human is familiar with is area." Black remembered, backing away from the window "I'm going to consult them."

With no further ceremony, he left for the kitchen, ignoring Red's protestations on getting you involved.

"what's up with you and them anyway?" Rus asked, at the limit of his curiosity even as he kept one eye on what was happening outside.

"what do ya mean?" Red replied, and Rus could immediately see him throwing the metaphorical walls up behind his eyes.

"i mean, i've seen what you bring home after a night out." he elaborated "isn't sugars human pretty much the exact opposite of your type?"

"the doll ain't sugars human." was his only response "they're just friends. besides, ya know there's a big difference between what yer willin' to put yer dick in and what yer willin' to put a ring on."

"You have a way with words as always, brother." Edge grimaced, most likely adding that to the long list of things he wished he could unhear.

It wasn't the crudeness that caught Rus's attention, though.

"put a ring on?" he repeated "you've known them all of three days."

"ya don't believe in love at first sight?"

"you're unbelievable." Rus scolded, finally turning his attention away from the window "is that the line you're going to use on them? if you think they're that stupid, then you really misjudge them."

"hey!" he objected.

"hey nothing." the taller skel interrupted "it's bad enough you're playing this game at all, but that you'd do axe and shugs this way? your own cousins? they've got nothing, and you're still trying to take things away from them. a greedy ass like you doesn't share."

A more heated argument was stopped in it's tracks as Black arrived with you. You had taken the apron off, but were still wielding what looked like a very large knife. Rus had been so busy confronting Red that he hadn't noticed other people were now looking out of the windows facing the same direction - Creampuff had his hands on BB's shoulders, looking over him, while Stretch had a firm grasp on Recklesses arm. Sam had gone pale as a sheet of paper, while Lust and Charm looked out in only mild interest. The figures had now emerged from the tree line, and were lining themselves up around the house.

They cut an intimidating figure, decked out like serial killers with masks and weapons to match. Those weren't costumes, either, but well hewn clothes. The way they rounded the house, keeping the same amount of distance from each other the entire way, suggested to Rus that these people had done this before. He took note of the weapons - machete, hunting knives, guns-

"Oh for goodness sake." you sighed wearily, snapping him out of his thoughts.

That was your response to this?

Your little sister seemed just as confused, calling your name fearfully as you went to the front door and pulled it open.

"Thomas Heuvelt, you take off that stupid mask and get your ass home before you catch hypothermia!" you yelled into the forest "Again!"

"Pumpkin?!"

One of the masked men removed their coverings to get a better look at you, as if not believing his ears. Rus was shocked when he broke out into a wide grin.

"Pumpkin, it is you!" he yelled.

"Don't call me that." you grumbled at him.

"Guys, call the old man, tell him Pumpkin's come to visit!"

In an instant, the tense, fearful atmosphere evaporated completely, replaced by one of complete confusion. The would-be attackers all took off their masks and all but galloped to the door you were stood in front of, calling your name, welcoming you home, saying how much you'd grown since they had last seen you. You just looked annoyed, arms crossed over your chest like a disapproving matriarch.

"What were you all doing out there in this storm anyway?" you demanded.

"We were going to rob you!" the one apparently named Thomas announced happily "It's our little gyftmas tradition, whoever rents this house gets a special visit from us."

"Stop that immediately, you fucking psycho."

He just laughed, ruffling your hair, before the group invited themselves in.

Things after that were... no less confusing. Rus had gotten the impression you were a local, but he didn't know you were this local. Any plans to rob or terrorise the house disappeared as the group sat themselves around the table and helped themselves to drinks. While it was an imposition, Rus did prefer it to a battle. Reckless and BB made friends immediately, of course, with a rightly concerned Stretch hovering over their shoulders. Black and Edge remained on high alert, while Red seemed unusually nervous, sat on the corner of the table sweating to himself. Sam seemed somehow less concerned that before, but still uncomfortable, trying to ignore the jolly snowdrake sat next to them by burying their head in their book. Anna disappeared into the kitchen with you, and Comic and Creampuff were right behind her.

It seemed the group had invited themselves in for dinner, but you didn't try very hard to get rid of them. Not that you were going easy on them as you started to bring out the food.

"Ash, wash your goddamn hands, you're putting me off my dinner. Jason, no knife games! Freddy, I sear to fuck if you don't use a fork I'm going to stab you in the neck!"

Somehow - and Rus could really only put it down to gyftmas magic - everyone relaxed enough to eat together. The mountain dwellers were a jolly bunch of hard drinkers, and now they had decided not to kill anyone they made it their mission to make them laugh. Just as the starter was finished, the front door slammed open, a large man looking all around before spotting you. A grin lit up his face as he called your name, scooping you straight off your feet into a tight hug.

"Dad, wipe your bloody feet!" you scolded "And close the door, I'm not paying to heat the forest!"

The mountain men just laughed, but your father did what he was told before pulling up a chair at the table and helping himself to the main course.

"Hey Red," he greeted "You brother not with you?"

Red grinned anxiously, backing away a little.

"nah, he was workin'." he admitted quietly.

"How do you know my kid?" your father asked, his voice carrying a dangerous undercurrent that dared him to say something he didn't like.

Red just stared to sweat profusely, unable to back away any further, but you broke the tension by placing a beer in front of your father.

"He's Sugar's cousin, dad." you scolded "Now stop being a bully or I'm kicking you all out."

Your father grinned at Red, cogs turning behind his eyes, as the skeleton bothered his collar. It seemed Lust and Charm had finally found a target in your father, planting themselves either side of him with 'come hither' stares, immediately raising his hackles.

What an interesting gyftmas. Rus sat back, lit up a cigarette, and tried to get into the spirit.

* * *

Sweet holy fuck you were stressed. The last thing you needed was all your fathers psycho friends turning up for gyftmas dinner. As nice as it was to see your father, you could have done without the idiot choir drinking all the booze and eating what could have been your leftovers. You hadn't realised how cultured you had become until you were stuck around the dinner table with these savages, making a mess and turning the air blue.

You felt a constant wave of soothing and reassurance from your crystal, not the gentle pulses of before. Your friends realised quickly how stressed out you were, helping to clear away dishes and pick up broken glass before anybody got hurt. Papyrus and Anna disappeared quickly after dessert, going up the cinema to avoid the group, and Stretch eventually dragged BB and Reckless up there too. At about 9pm, the group decided it was time to leave, and you couldn't have been more relieved.

"Bye, pumpkin! Come visit us more often!"

"Stop calling me pumpkin!" you argued.

"Thanks for having us!"

"Your cooking's really improved!"

"Go home! Your drunk asses will be lucky enough not to break your legs in this dark already!"

Your father loitered a little longer, giving you a long hug and saying a proper goodbye. It really had been nice to see him... watching their backs retreat into the night left you feeling a little bittersweet. You had known those gun-toting survivalists your entire life...

Then you turned and saw the mess that was still left at the table, and the nostalgic feeling disappeared. You slammed the door shut and locked it behind them. Axe and Sugar, both with arms laden with dishes and tea towels, exchanged a look with each other before dropping their burdens and readying their arms for the hug you desperately needed. You all but fell into Axe's chest, as he was the closest to your size, but felt both pairs of arms wrap around you, Sugar encasing his brother as well.

"I think I might just scream." you warned them.

"Please don't, they might come back." Sugar joked.

"at least you got a proper family gyftmas." Axe reasoned, patting your back "every cloud and all that."

You hit him lightly on the head. With zero intent behind the action, it didn't shave a single point off his low HP, but did make him chuckle.

"I need a shower." you lamented.

"We'll finish tidying up." Sugar offered, letting you go "We'll get the others to help, it won't take long."

Sure enough, Sugar followed you up the stairs, kicking open the door of the cinema room unceremoniously.

"Alright, you lazybones, get your asses up and earn your dinner!" he yelled, making you laugh.

A hot shower was exactly what you needed. Between the early start and the unexpected guests, you were left tired and sore and really wanting to go to bed. You didn't think the others would mind if you turned in early.

When you got out of the shower, you found a note on your bed in Anna's handwriting, asking you to come downstairs to play a game. You would just have to go down and make your excuses. Hair dry and dressed in your pyjamas, you wandered down to find the kitchen and dining room completely spotless, not a speck of dirt on the floor or crumb on the table. You had to hand it to the skeletons - they really did know how to clean.

You found everyone else gathered in the living room, sat around bunched onto chairs, lounging on cushions or sat in laps. It looked very cozy. Before you could make an excuse to go to bed, Anna jumped up from her cushion on the ground and handed you a glass.

"We're playing 'never have I ever'!" she announced excitedly.

"You're not." you corrected.

"wow, honey, have a little faith in us." Lust teased "even we're not going to give alcohol to a sixteen year old. anyone who doesn't want to drink alcohol doesn't have to."

You looked at Sugar, who nodded, Axe flashing you a thumbs up. Anna waited patiently, knowing you would give in as long as she didn't kick up a fuss. You sighed, knowing full well she was right.

"Fine." you grumbled, taking the drink "Ten minutes. I see any alcohol in your hands and you're grounded."

Anna let out an excited squeal, giving you a quick hug and sprinting over to the drinks cabinet.

"Alright, ladies, pick your poison!" Lust announced, getting up from his seat.

There was almost a stampede, the guys were running over so fast. You stepped back to where Sam and Reckless were sat, watching the scrum with amusement.

"Huh..." you noted "The guys really do look alike, don't they?"

"Well yeah, they are cousins." Reckless pointed out, popping the lid on their beer with the bottle opener on their key chain.

"It's more than that." you pondered, taking in how Comic, Axe, BB and Lust were almost identical but for differences in their height and build "It looks more like they're different version of the same person..."

Sam and Reckless looked between each other.

"You've had a long day, haven't you?" Sam asked.

"Lemme have that drink, okay?" Reckless teased, reaching out to take the glass from your hand.

"Ah, fuck you both!" you groaned, making them laugh as you sauntered back over to the sofa Sugar and Axe were sat on.

You saw Comic wander back over to sit by Sam, handing them two glasses. Sam tasted them both before handing one back to him. Testing it for alcohol? Anna noticed you seeing this, and offered up her own for you to test. Just lemonade. You patted her on the head as you gave it back. Anna was very young for her age, she wasn't nearly ready for drinking. Feeling a gaze on you, you looked around to see Red trying to bore holes in you with his eyes, whiskey and ice in his hand.

"You do business with my dad, huh?" you asked.

He immediately looked away at your reproachful tone. As well he should.

"Are you a survival nut too?" Anna asked, completely innocently.

"no no, my brother is a scientist." Red told her "he buys stuff from him sometimes."

Both of you looked at Edge, who was sipping on something bright green from a martini glass.

"Not me." he dismissed with a wave of his hand.

"our other brother." Red explained.

"What does your dad sell?" Anna asked, looking up at you.

"Explosives, mostly."

Anna laughed. She thought you were joking.

You were not.

You looked back at Red, who again avoided eye contact.

"Why didn't your brother come along?" you asked "Since he's so familiar with the area."

"gasters aren't invited." Stretch interrupted, sitting down on the floor beside Anna.

"Gasters?" Anna asked.

"the guys named gaster tend to be... problematic." he explained carefully.

You saw the way his eyes flashed quickly to Comic and Papyrus, but said nothing.

"even if they aren't downright terrible, they tend not to be great people." he went on "my father, for example - he decided he'd rather spend the day with his latest fuck-buddy than come to my college graduation. multiply that by my entire childhood, and you get a less than great relationship."

"That's awful!" your little sister sympathised, laying a hand on his arm.

"He gets worse!" BB added bitterly, jumping in Reckless's lap as the ice cubes jingled in his glass "The last time we saw him, his latest squeeze was the same age as me!"

"Ew!" Anna recoiled.

"Very ew!" BB agreed.

"alright, ladies!" Lust announced, taping his cocktail glass with a teaspoon "who needs a runover of how this game works?"

Anna threw her hand up. Lusts eyes turned to stars at the sight, revelling in her enthusiasm.

"alright, gorgeous, just for you." he said with a wink "whoever's turn it is says 'never have i ever something something', and if you have done it, you take a drink. for example, never have i ever... um...

fuck, what can i say with a kid around?"

"Never have I ever fallen in love." his brother provided.

A few people took a sip of their drinks.

"just like that!" Lust laughed "you got it, sweetheart?"

"Yup!" Anna assured "Who's turn is next?"

"Let's go clockwise." Charm suggested "Stretch, you're up!"

The orange-clad skeleton thought for a moment, swirling his honey brown whiskey.

"never have i ever... followed someone on a date just to flick elastic bands at them." he finished, locking eyes with his brother and Reckless.

"Oh come on!" BB objected.

"Too specific!" Reckless agreed.

"Shut up and drink." Sugar teased.

They both shot him the stink-eye, but both drunk nonetheless.

"okay, i'm up." Lust announced, tongue running over his teeth "never have i ever wanted to jump sugars bones and ride him like a cowgirl."

Sugars mouth fell open while Axe choked on the air. Lust wasn't starting small.

"save me the mental image." Red grimaced "someone else take their turn so i can drink that thought away."

Lust just grinned at him before locking his eyes on Sugar and taking a drink. So did Charm. So did you.

That got his attention.

"Really?!" he gasped.

"I knew it!" Anna cried.

"What can I say man, puberty's a hell of a thing." you dismissed, distracted by the odd taste of the drink.

Not that it tasted bad, but it was a little bitter, and had a slight burn on the roof of your mouth and throat. What kind of juice was this?

"never have i ever wanted to punch lust in the face." Stretch said quickly.

Everyone drunk, including Charm. Lust just grinned and shrugged.

"Never have I ever fallen in love at first sight!" Anna quickly followed.

Charm, Red and Rus drunk.

"Never have I ever made someone watch the same movie twelve times." you said.

"Hey!" Anna objected, but you just grinned.

Anna, Edge and Black drunk.

It was Sugars turn, but he was still staring at you, dumbfounded. Axe elbowed him in the ribs to get his attention.

"Never have I ever... thought it might be nice to start a romantic relationship with a good friend." he decided, looking right at you as he took a drink.

Comic, Sam and BB took a drink as well. You felt your face heat up, wishing you had just lied, before taking another drink. Sugars grin nearly broke his face.

The first round continued in this benign manner. BB and Reckless had either done a lot of stuff, or were lying to get drunk faster. You were willing to bet it was a little of both. It seemed like the cousins weren't trying to open any old wounds, as they picked their questions carefully.

Most of them, anyway.

"never have i ever eaten human flesh." was Red's opening gambit, eyes locked on Sugar and Axe.

"dude!" Stretch admonished.

"That's uncalled for!" Black agreed.

Axe and Sugar drunk. So did you.

"Ew, really?!" Anna cried.

"You've met my dad's friends." you pointed out "Does it really surprise you that one was a cannibal?"

"But why did you eat it?!" she asked.

"I didn't know what it was." you shrugged.

"Never have I ever wanted to move on from anything more than this." Charm announced loudly, taking a drink.

Everyone but Axe and Red joined him. As the alcohol loosened everyone's common sense, the 'nevers' got more antagonistic.

"never have i ever gone wendigo hunting." Stretch said at his turn.

"You're doing this on purpose!" BB argued before drinking.

"Never have I ever had a massive crush on my best friend!" Anna announced excitedly, turning around to look at you.

BB drunk, as did Lust. You lifted your glass to your lips, watching your sisters eyes light up, before flicking her on the forehead.

"You'll never know." you teased.

"Cheating! Cheating!" she declared "Take a shot!"

"Shan't."

"Never have I ever been a massive troll." Sugar sighed.

"Hey, it's my turn!" you laughed, making everyone else laugh as well.

You were feeling a little light-headed - you must be more tired than you thought - but somehow you didn't really mind. Everything just seemed a bit funnier. So funny, in fact, that you didn't notice Axe looking Red right in the eye and saying

"never have i ever sold hard drugs."

or the tense silence that followed. You were too busy moving your head from side to side to better experience the bizarreness of the light-headedness. You did notice Sugar put his arm around you, so nestled into his side.

"Never have I ever shot a man in the head!" Black quickly yelled before downing the rest of his drink.

It's after that that things got a little fuzzy. You finished your drink, and Anna jumped up to get you another one. Everything was pretty funny, and you were having a lot of fun. You were very tried, and it was loosening your tongue. You think you might have gotten up to sing at some point, but you weren't entirely sure. Sugar had his arm around you all night, keeping you close. Oh wait, that was Axe's arm, wasn't it? Whatever, he was your friend too, and you loved him just as much. You loved everyone really, there wasn't nearly enough love in the world.

Anna's hair smelled nice. When did you start hugging her? Whatever, she was soft, and the way she laughed made her jiggle. Lust wanted a hug too, but he could go to hell, over sexualised pervert. You'd stabbed people for less. He was a jerk. You know who else is a jerk? That RA in your dorm building who keeps creeping on the girls. You're definitely going to stab him when you get back to school. You know who else needs a stabbing...?

* * *

You were drunk. Considering your strict and public refusal to drink alcohol, this represented a problem.

Sugar leaned down to get a better look at your face - a little rosy, eyes glassy - but as a non-drinker, even the little you'd had would be enough to send you under. He called your name to get your attention, the delay in your reactions confirming his suspicions.

"Can I try some of your drink?" he asked, quiet enough that the others could continue their game uninterrupted.

"Sure, Shug!" you replied, a few tones too loud "It's kinda funny tasting, though."

Sugar took the offered glass and had a careful sip.

Vodka.

"everything okay?"

Despite trying to be covert about it, all eyes were now on the two of you. Sugar was sure he wasn't the only one who could tell you were a little loopy...

"There's alcohol in this." he said simply.

Comic immediately looked at his own drink in suspicion before handing it off to Sam.

"And?" BB wandered from his place on Reckless's lap "What's the big deal?"

"the big deal is they don't drink." Axe told him, placing his own drink down on the table "not when they have the choice."

He immediately gave everyone in the room the stink eye.

"anyone got something they want to admit to?"

His eyes lingered on Lust and Charm, but they just shrugged innocently.

"What's the big deal?" Anna asked, not quite looking at them "It's just a little vodka. This is supposed to be a drinking game!"

"So it was you." Sugar knew.

Anna flinched, not realising she had incriminated herself. A master of deception, she was not.

"Um... I mean..." she flustered, finally looking around "It's not a big deal! Everyone in college drinks, right? It's totally normal!"

"Anna, you can't just go around drugging people!" Sugar told her sternly.

"I didn't!" she immediately cried, face lighting up like Blackpool Illuminations "It's just vodka!"

"It's the same thing!"

"Oh, chill out, you worrywart." you interrupted, trying to take the drink back and missing by a mile, even before Sugar moved it out of your reach "It's not the end of the world!"

"Right!" Anna was quick to agree "Chill out, Sugar!"

The skeleton just groaned, handing the drink off to his brother and getting up.

"Game's over for us." he told his cousins "I'm going to make some coffee."

"Anna, I need you to tell me honestly." Sam said seriously, looking at the girl like a disapproving parent "Did you put alcohol in anyone else's drink?"

"What? Of course not! Why is everyone on my case all of a sudden?!"

"Don't worry about it, Sam." Sugar interrupted before they could say anything else "There's nothing we can say that's going to match the lecture she'll get tomorrow morning."

The human let out an aggrieved sigh, but did back off, taking what Sugar noticed was Comic's drink and downing the whole thing.

He tried not to stew too hard as he put the kettle on, getting the mug and coffee. He knew Anna was young, and even for her age she could be naive, but this was something else. Purposely getting someone drunk without their knowledge? How on earth could she think that was normal? Let alone for someone who had made their resolution not to drink alcohol very well known. And he knew no scolding he could give her could possibly match what you would do when you sobered up, but still! He wanted to tell her off! He wanted to yell at her until she understood why what she had done was wrong, because she clearly didn't! He wanted to send her to bed without dinner, ground her, take away her phone! THAT CHILD NEEDED PARENTING!!!!

Sugar took a deep breath, holding it a minute before sighing it out. It wasn't his job to parent her, no matter how frustrated he was. He'd never say so out loud, but he blamed your foster fathers lack of parental responsibility for a lot of your stresses. Your foster mother was better, but her job kept her away from home a lot, as did Miles', so that only left you to keep an eye on Anna and-

"hey."

Sugar started, looking around at the voice. Comic leaned around him to look at the kettle.

"there enough for two?" he asked.

"Sure." Sugar sighed, grabbing another mug "You think there was alcohol in yours?"

"honestly, i've drunk so much for so long that i can't even taste it any more. better safe than sorry."

Comic waited patiently as Sugar measured out another serving of the instant crap, waiting for the water to finish boiling.

"you okay?" he asked quietly, leaning on the counter.

"Hm? Sure. Why do you ask?"

"mainly 'cause your face is going on one hell of a journey." Comic told him "you wanna talk about it?"

Sugar busied himself pouring the water. It's not that he didn't want to talk to Comic, but he didn't want that particular can of worms spilling all over the floor when there were other things to worry about.

"It's nothing." he told his cousin tersely "I just get sick of being the only adult in the room sometimes, you know?"

"your human seems like the responsible sort." Comic pointed out.

"They are." Sugar confirmed "And now I have to babysit them as well because Anna thought it was normal to drug people. Here's your coffee. Excuse me."

He was trying not to be rude, he really was, but damn if those worms weren't trying their hardest to escape.

It seemed the game was over for everyone, and not a moment too soon in his opinion, as the TV was on, Sam was reading a book (with one eye on you), and the haphazard circle everyone had been sat in had disbanded. You were now sat on the floor, arms wrapped around BB, who you were hugging so hard his face was squishing a little.

"How are you so fucking cute?!" you demanded of him "What the shit?!"

"I get that a lot." BB told you, happy enough to hug you back "I'm adorable."

"And so humble." Reckless joined.

"Quiet you."

Sugar squatted down beside you, tapping your shoulder to get your attention.

"Shugs! My number one dude!" you cried when you noticed him, letting go of BB and wrapping your arms around his middle "I love you, bro!"

"Aw," BB pretended to sulk "You loved me a minute ago."

"'I love you, man' drunks are the best." Reckless teased "I'm surrounded by messy drunks. This guy here's a crier."

"I am not!" BB argued "And even if I was, at least I'm not a 'stealing shit' drunk, Reckless."

"reckless is a 'bad ideas' drunk." Stretch disagreed.

"Better than a 'eat everything in the house' drunk." BB thought.

"He doesn't do that because he's drunk." Reckless stage whispered.

"Hey, I need you to drink this." Sugar insisted, prying your arm from his waist.

"What's in it?"

"Coffee. You'll feel better."

You seemed to accept that easily, which for you was concerning - your paranoia of course extended to any food that you didn't personally make, and after hearing about the accidental cannibalism story,

he could understand perfectly well why. Sugar kept a couple fingers on the mug, knowing the hot contents may shock your drunk mind, but you managed it without choking.

"Ugh, bitter." you complained, before shooting him a bright grin "Gimme some Sugar!"

Lust and Charm burst out laughing.

"S-Shut up!" he snapped at them, feeling his skull grow hot with magic "Her foster sister says that to me! She's four! Don't make it weird!"

"Where's Anna?" Sam noted.

Sure enough, the teenager wasn't sat where she had been before, and a cursory glance around confirmed she wasn't in the room.

"Probably off sulking." Sugar grumbled, not able to hide his bitterness.

Several glances got exchanged.

"i'll go-" Axe began to offer, getting up, only for his brother to wave him back down.

"I'd prefer you stay where I can see you." he said.

His tone made his brother wince, but he did sit back down. Uncomfortable silence fell like a heavy blanket over the whole room.

"Well!" Reckless declared, clapping their hands as they got up "I'll be right back!"

Sugar didn't care what they did, feeling the pressure rising in his skull as he tried to sober you up.

* * *

Reckless found Anna pretty easily - teenagers weren't exactly difficult to figure out. She was up in your room, curled up on her bed pretending to be watching a movie on her laptop. They got her attention by knocking on the door.

"Hey, kiddo."

"You gonna yell at me too?" she sulked.

"I get the feeling you don't know what yelling is." Reckless teased "Let me introduce you to my parents, then you'll know yelling."

Anna just fixed her stare on her laptop, tightening her arms around her knees. With a sigh, Reckless entered the room proper, sitting on the edge of your bed facing Anna, who was still trying her best to ignore them.

"Want to tell me what that was all about, kiddo?" they asked.

"What all what was about?" she challenged.

"C'mon, even at your age, you have to know that getting someone drunk without their knowledge isn't okay."

The huff Anna let out told Reckless they were spot on. The girl fiddled with the ring on her finger - the one you had received during secret santa - before she answered.

"I was just... I was just trying to help." she grumbled.

"Help?"

"You don't understand!" Anna suddenly cried, uncurling herself "All that therapy, all these years! My whole family has tried so hard to help, but...! I'm just trying to make things normal!"

"Normal?"

"Oh come on, you know what I mean!" Anna scoffed "Normal college kids don't work 25 hours a week when they have a full scholarship, they go to parties and get drunk! They're not complete control freaks, they smoke weed and relax! They go off with their boyfriend, or girlfriend, or whatever, they don't spend their holidays with their friends from back home!"

"You seem to know a lot about what other people do." Reckless noted.

"You know what I mean." she repeated with a sigh "I'm just trying to help them be normal..."

"Your sibling?"

"Who else?"

"You think they're a control freak?"

"Um, have you been paying attention at all the last few days?" she pointed out "You're the one who's been getting knives and pots thrown at you!"

"To be fair, I really am a terrible cook." Reckless justified "Between your friends being famine survivors and how much all that food must have cost, not wanting to waste it makes a lot of sense to me."

"Yeah, but come on!" Anna argued "Is it too much to ask for my siblings to behave like siblings rather than another set of parents?!"

"There are more of you?"

"Yeah, our brother. He's waaay older than us, though."

"Hmm," Reckless hummed "You think, maybe, that one downstairs didn't know how to act like an older sibling when your parents adopted them, so took their cues from your waaay older brother?"

"Well... yeah?"

"And maybe there's a good reason they're being so overprotective?" they went on "Like, maybe the woods are full of nutcase home-invaders, and there's a couple of dodgy sex maniacs in the next room?"

"But they're always like this!" Anna argued "It isn't just now!"

"Considering that group earlier was their first family? I'd take responsible over that."  
Anna just pouted, crossing her arms again. Reckless glanced at the movie playing on her laptop, and suddenly understood where she might have gotten some of her ideas of what 'normal' was from.

"You know none of that is real, right?" they said gently "Back when I was in college, the guys who were drinking and partying every night didn't do very well. It wasn't a problem for the guys whose parents were paying for them, but those of us on scholarship had to keep our grades up."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I had a job too. I stacked shelves, 18 hours a week. It didn't leave me with a lot of free time to party."

"But didn't you miss out on the whole experience?" Anna despaired "In they movies they always-"

"The movies aren't real, Anna." Reckless repeated "Nobody would watch them if they were. And I'm here to tell you, there's no such thing as 'normal'. One of my best friends at college was 15 years older than the rest of us and had 4 kids. Another one was caring for their dying mother. You think either of them cared about partying?"

"... I guess not..." she conceded.

"I know I'd kill to have siblings like yours." they went on "I haven't spoken to mine in nearly 15 years."

"15 years?!" the girl gasped "You aren't that old!"

"The time sneaks up on you, believe me." Reckless chuckled "They weren't exactly accepting of my lifestyle. That one downstairs may be strict, but it's clearly coming from a place of love."

Anna's eyes flicked over Reckless's face, clearly trying to discern what they meant by 'lifestyle.' It seemed she had learned at least something from you, though, as she didn't ask. She seemed to be thinking about things carefully as she took a deep breath, sighing it out as she nodded her head. She closed the laptop.

"I'm gonna be grounded for life tomorrow." she decided.

"Maybe." Reckless agreed "But if you apologise and mean it, I think that will go a long way."

"Okay," she sighed again "At least I have until tomorrow to think of a good apology."

"Tomorrow?"

"Well, yeah, they're drunk now, they won't remember it."

"Anna, it's not your sibling you need to apologise to." Reckless informed her "I mean, you do, but they're not the main person."

This one clearly stumped the girl, her face going on quite the journey as she tried to puzzle it out.

"Kiddo, it's Sugar you need to apologise to." they explained.

"Sugar?"

"Your boys Shugs is clearly on his last leg." Reckless went on "Caring for his brother can't be easy, and working retail on top of that? I bet he was looking forward to having his best human around to help him out. The one who's always sober and reliable, who can shut down problems before they start. Now he's got to take care of them, too."

"... I didn't think of it that way..." she admitted, voice small, letting out a humourless laugh "I'm a terrible person, aren't I?"

"You're a kid. Kids make mistakes."

"Think he'll accept my apology?"

"If you mean it."

Anna took a moment more to think, the weight of her actions finally sinking in the appropriate amount, before she sighed a final time, and got up from her bed to go back downstairs.

* * *

You had one hell of a signing voice.

If anyone knew how to sober up, it was Sans, and Sugar seemed happy enough to take his advice. Who knew that belting out karaoke would help with that? Sam certainly didn't. The singing was one thing, but dancing on the coffee table they could do without. BB and Lust weren't helping, holding you up on either side as they sung along (poorly), creating a chorus-line of drunks stamping their feet to 'Livin' on a Prayer'.

"You know we have to pay for that table if they break it." Sam pointed out.

The skeletons seemed reluctant to interfere, which Sam found odd. Looking to Sans to an explanation, the monster merely shrugged.

"humans are strong." he pointed out "and that one's got lv. with them being drunk, we might end up with some broken bones."

"they wouldn't do that." Axe grumbled at him.

"people aren't themselves when they're drunk."

"well, you would know."

Oh boy... Sam had heard that Axe liked to provoke people, but they had yet to see it - apparently he had been behaving himself until now. To Sans credit, he didn't rise to it, just clenching his teeth and looking the other way.

"think i'm gonna go to bed." he decided "this party's getting a bit lively for me."

"Good idea." Sam agreed "These guys are pretty loud - why don't you sleep in my room? I'm sure Reckless won't mind."

"yeah, and take lust wit' ya." Axe grumbled "reckless won't mind."

It looked like it physically pained him, but again Sans ignored him.

"night, babe."

He didn't even storm out, simply short-cutting away. Axe continued to stare into the fire in the hearth, arms crossed tightly over his chest. He was clearly upset, but what little Sam knew about him gave them pause - he might be dangerous to approach, especially when upset. Unfortunately, not everyone present had the self control (or sobriety) to let his comments go.

"What the heck's that supposed to mean?!" BB challenged, stopping his dancing and turning with extreme difficulty to face his cousin.

"nope." Stretch immediately said, putting down his blunt and getting up to stop the argument "nope nope nope."

"c'mon, ya gotta be pretty _reckless_ to go after a guy like _lust_." Axe smarmed.

"Shut your mouth." BB demanded angrily, avoiding his brother trying to pick him off the coffee table “Shut your fucking mouth!”

"wassa matter, ya getting' _blue_ balls?" he went on anyway.

"bb, bb, cool it." Lust himself tried to diffuse, but seeing as he was also drunk it wasn't very effective "he's just trying to get a rise out of you, y'know?"

"reckless sure ain't getting a rise outta him."

"Oh, that's it!" BB yelled, all but leaping from the table to lunge at him.

Luckily, Stretch was grounded enough to use his blue magic, pulling his little brother away.

"Papy, let me go, I'm gonna kick his ass!" BB shrieked, kicking desperately against his grip.

"you can't even reach my ass!" Axe spat.

"You don't get to talk shit about my friends just because you don't have any!"

A loud shushing silenced the argument, the bizarreness of the noise attracting everyone's attention. Swaying on your feet, you climbed down off the table, still shushing.

"Eeeverybody chill." you urged "It's gyftmas, remember?"

"He's the one being a dick!" BB yelled.

It seemed that was the last straw for Axe, as he jumped to his feet to fight back, starting a domino effect of everyone else getting up. Sam did the opposite, backing up further into the sofa to stay out of the way. They could handle Sans drunk, but this many skeletons, some of them very large? Hopefully things wouldn't come to blows...

"Boop!"

You weren't a mage, but damn if you couldn't work magic - with a playful poke on the ridge of BB's nose, you managed to drain all the tension from the room, even from the furious skel himself.

"Relax!" you laughed "I'll take care of Axe. Okay?"

Were you flirting? BB seemed to think so, as his skull lit up bright blue. However, you left him and went to Axe, wrapping your arms around his wide chest. Axe shot BB a shit-eating grin, but Stretch had the good sense to drag his brother away, probably to sober up.

"Loooove you~" you told the skel, continuing to cling to him as he led you back over to the sofa.

* * *

Now that she looked at him, Anna could see exactly how tired Sugar was. Maybe it was because of how far away from his eye level she was, but she had never noticed the dark shadows under his eyes, the slight droop of his shoulders. He even sighed, rubbing the back of his neck in obvious fatigue.

"I accept your apology, Anna." he said "I know you didn't do it out of malice."

"Deliberate or not, I should be a better friend." she justified "I mean, we're neighbours, and I didn't even realise you were struggling. You've been looking out for me these last few months, and I've just been making things difficult for you."

"You aren't that bad." he told her with a tired smile "Most of the time. My brothers condition just gets worse this time of year... something about the snow. It stresses him out. He's always better when..."

He trailed off, eyes distant, but for the first time, Anna could read him like a book: Axe was always better when you were around.

"You really do love them, don't you?" she said.

"Of course I do." he answered plainly "They're my best friend."

Anna thought she knew about love - in any movie she'd ever seen, there would have been a 'but' in the middle of that sentence, followed by the characters angst at being relegated to the friendzone. There was no 'but' for Sugar, and there was something so pure about that that she couldn't help but be touched.

"I'll try to be a better friend from now on." Anna swore "Is there anything I can do to help you?"

"Can you watch Axe for me? Make sure he doesn't wonder off into the woods?"

"Sure."

He gave her that smile again before turning back to the kitchen counter, trying to come up with something to help you sober up faster. Now that the most emotionally difficult apology was out of the way, Anna just needed to worry about how you were going to react in the morning... Putting that aside for now, she went to find Axe, locating him in the same room he was in before. He was sat in front of the fire, staring blankly into it.

"maybe if you weren't such a fucking bitch all the time, that shit wouldn't happen." he grumbled.

"i ain't taking life advice from yer human-eatin' psycho ass." Red fired back, scrolling through his phone as he sat on the sofa on the other side of the room.

"rather be a psycho than a bitch."

"Okay, okay, that's enough." Anna soothed, although she sounded less like you and more like a pre-school teacher "We're all friends here, right?"

Red scoffed, taking a big swig of his whiskey before answering.

"darlin', ya got no idea-"

"don't call her 'darlin'." Axe snapped, grabbing Anna's hand and pulling her down on the floor with him "stay away from her."

"little young for ya, ain't she?" Red fired back "ya a paedophile now as well as a murderer?"

"takes one to know one."

"Enough!" Sugar declared, startling everyone with how loud he was as he entered the room, leftovers sandwich in hand "Hasn't today been stressful enough without you two going at each other?!"

Suitably chastised, the two skeletons looked away from each other, Red to his phone and Axe back to the flames. Rather than calming down, Sugar only got more tense as he looked around the room.

"Sans, where are they?" he asked.

"where's who?" Axe responded.

"I thought you were watching them!"

Axe looked around. Red was the only other person in the room.

"watching who?"

* * *

There was nothing quite like smoking a joint under the stars. This far away from the lights of the city, the whole galaxy was clear as day above the trees that surrounded the house. It was the quiet Rus really wanted, but the view certainly didn't hurt.

When he first heard one of the windows below him opening, he didn't think much of it. He assumed it was the little brother party going on in Creampuff's room, since he could hear their voices growing louder, but when the sound of scraping roof tiles met his ears, he had to look over. You were already stood on the roof, which would have been quite the accomplishment even if you weren't drunk, in your pyjamas, and the roof wasn't covered in a thick layer of snow.

That... was very unsafe.

"dare i ask?" Rus called, getting your attention.

"I saw a frisbee on the roof yesterday!" you told him "I came to look for it!"

Between the rosy cheeks and questionable decision making, it was clear Sugar's sobering efforts hadn't worked.

"how did you even get up here?"

"Window! Obviously!"

"obviously."

You forgot about your mission pretty quickly, picking your way across the roof with surprising ease until you reached him, flopping down onto the roof beside him and staring up at the temporarily clear heavens. As you let out a sigh, the cold turned your breath into a cloud of vapour, which floated up and disappeared into the air. Rus wasn't sure why the sight caught his attention, but watching the way it swirled and shimmered fascinated him.

"It's been years since I've seen the stars like this." you told him, eyes fixed above "I really did come home for Gyftmas..."

"heh, your family's a real trip." Rus said, taking another puff.

"Why do you think I left?" you agreed, before reaching over and plucking the joint from his fingers.

"help yourself." he laughed, amused by your audacity.

You fell into silence, watching the stars and smoking in the snow for a while.

"Anyone ever tell you you're hot?" you asked, making him choke.

"e-excuse me?" he managed to cough out.

"You are, though." you stated plainly "Like, really hot."

Rus couldn't help but laugh - you really were audacious!

"your type, am i?" he teased.

"Maybe." you admitted "A few years ago."

"but not any more?"

"i guess my tastes have changed." you shrugged.

"story of my life." he sighed theatrically "what's your type these days?"

"Sweet." you answered immediately "Reliable. Responsible."

"sugar?"

"Maybe." you admitted "I just... see all my friends at college trying to find love and getting their hearts broken. It's all so much... drama, y'know?"

"amen."

"The will-they-won't-they, the cheating, and like, there's this whole secret coded language that everyone just assumes you know?! Like, you can't call someone the day you get their number, but you can't leave it more than three days, and you're supposed to know if they want a text or a phone call based on the alignment of the fucking stars over Jupiter or something?! Fuck that!"

"preach it."

"These kids are just exhausting! Who has the energy?!"

"not me."

"And yet..."

Rus looked at you when you trailed off, but your eyes were still fixed on the stars.

"I want to be loved." you admitted "I want to fall in love, have someone fall in love with me. I just... I don't want the drama, y'know?"

"yeah... yeah, i think i do." he agreed, taking a drag and looking back up himself "you know what i think?"

"What?"

"you should fall in love with sugar. you know he'd worship you."

"I don't want to be worshipped." you dismissed "I want to stand beside him as an equal."

"you don't think you are?"

"Have you met him?" you chuckled "He's too cool. It can't be done."

Rus chuckled too. Sugar was pretty cool.

"we should go back inside." he suggested "sitting out in the snow isn't good for humans."

You just hummed in response, closing your eyes. Rus took it upon himself to be the sober one, and took your hand to shortcut you back into the house.

* * *

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

Not a single thing was going right for Red. He couldn't get you alone all day, you hated your present, and now you knew he had business affiliations with your father, it put you on the defensive. And now that you were drunk, he couldn't even put the moves on you without it making him a creep!

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

He had the worst luck.

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

"You don't think they would have gone outside, do you?" Anna fretted, kneeling over the back of the sofa and looking out into the endless blackness of the forest.

"i doubt it, darlin'." he assured "it's a big house. one time i got so wasted i woke up in the airin' cupboard in a nest of clean washin'."

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

"would ya please stop that? it's really gettin' on my nerves."

"Sorry."

Anna stopped tapping the ring on the glass of the window. Red was kind of pissed she was still wearing it, it just reminded him how quickly you had dismissed it. Did you not like pink? Was it the cut?

A high-pitched scratching sound from the window caught Red's attention, making his teeth hurt from how shrill it was.

"what the heck are ya doin' over there?" he asked, even putting his phone down.

Anna was looking at her hand. On the window was a long, straight scratch.

"kid?"

When she looked at him, her eyes were wide, and she was clutching the hand that sported the ring.

"I... I think this is real..." she said.

"well it ain't imaginary."

"No, I mean-!"

She huffed, climbing down to sit properly on the chair.

"I think it's a real diamond!" she gasped "It cut the glass!"

Smart girl.

"there's lotsa things that cut glass." Red excused "it's probably just quartz."

It was not.

"But I-!"

The air shifted slightly as Rus shortcut into the room with you in tow, waves of cold roiling off you both. So you had been outside.

"hey."

"hey."

"Oh my god, where were you?!" Anna cried, forgetting all about the ring as she got to her feet "Sugar is looking for you!"

You looked like you were going to respond, when a strange look crossed your face. Before anyone could react, you pushed Anna to the side, spun on your heel, and threw up.

All over Red.

* * *

It was late. Pretty much everyone had gone to bed, leaving the house bathed in silence and darkness. The little brother party - Creampuff, Edge, Charm and Black - ended in a drunken sleepover, having dropped where they sat, leaving the end of their movie to play to itself. Reckless and Stretch had wrangled BB, talking him down from fighting with Axe by showering him with attention. Sam and Comic were asleep, and Lust was still on the phone with his insurance company - something about his car getting crushed by a giant gyftrot on the way up the mountain. Why he had waited until so late on Gyftmas night to call them, Sugar couldn't begin to guess.

Sugar himself sat on the bathroom floor, keeping your hair out of your face as you yelled for Huey into the porcelain throne. His brother was sat against the opposite wall, trying desperately to stay awake. When it seemed like you couldn't possibly have any more to expunge, Sugar made sure you drank a glass of water and sat back, resting you against his chest. Axe snorted himself awake, shaking his head.

"You should go to bed." Sugar urged "I can handle this on my own."

"thought you wanted me to stay where you can see me?"

Ouch. Right in the feels.

"I'm sorry I said that." he apologised "It was jerky of me. I was stressed out."

"if anyone's allowed to be stressed, it's you." Axe shrugged "sorry i was picking fights."

"Well, it's not a family Gyftmas without an argument." Sugar chuckled, before sighing deeply "Still better than last year."

"yeah, i got a feeling we'll be sleeping in tomorrow." his brother agreed, before yawning widely "next year, let's just stay home. just the three of us."

The crystal around Sugars neck emitted a small pulse, as it had been doing most of the night. His brothers patience. Your love.

"You know what? I like the sound of that."

(On another floor of the house, Red was still in the shower, desperately making sure to get all the vomit out of his joints...)

* * *

You woke up with the worst headache of your life. It felt like there was cotton wool stuffed in your head, slowly pushing your skull apart, and your throat was as dry as sandpaper. The only thing worse than your headache was your breath, which was so foul you could practically chew on it. You weren't getting sick, were you? You shuffled on the bed, limbs heavy, and were both highly uncomfortable and the most comfortable you'd ever been in your life. There was something long and hard lain over you, and it took your aching mind a moment to figure out what it was.

Sugar was lain on the bed next to you, sleeping lightly, arm wrapped loosely around you. You had been stripped down to your underwear, but as you were wearing one of your friends shirts as pyjamas and could still taste the rank aftertaste of vomit in your mouth, you could guess why. Your stirring woke Sugar from his slumber, and he came to his senses much faster than you had.

"Morning." he greeted "How are you feeling?"

"Like death." you admitted, voice hoarse as you buried your head in the pillow "Do I have food poisoning?"

"you have a hangover, sweetie." you heard Axe say on the other side of the room.

"I don't drink." you grumbled, pulling the covers over your head.

Sugar just waited, patting your back every now and then, while the wheels turned in your compromised mind. The final cog clicked into place, and you threw the covers back as you sat up.

"Son of a bitch!" you yelled.

And immediately regretted it, as the pain in your head exploded, leaving you able to do nothing but hold it in your hands as your friends rubbed your back and cooed assurances in quiet voices.

By the time you made it to the kitchen, Sam and Papyrus were packing up the remnants of a late lunch. Anna nearly bolted from the room, but was caught by Comic and Reckless, who marched her right back. She physically shrunk, unable to look you in the eye, and laughed nervously.

"Never have I ever got someone drunk without telling them." she said, before making a drinking motion with her hand.

A part of you was relieved that it was only her, and not one of the more suspicious residents, that had gotten you drunk, and that you had good friends around to keep you safe. However, that didn't make it okay.

"Give me your phone." you ordered coldly.

She did, wincing a little as she reluctantly released it. You walked over to the window, opened it up, and threw the phone out as hard as you could. Anna physically flinched when she heard it smash against a tree.

"I deserve that..." she said through gritted teeth.

"Anna," you all but growled, rubbing your sore head "Where do I even start with all the things that were wrong with what you did?"

"Save it for the car." Sam suggested, bustling into the room with an armful of plastic bags "I just got off the phone with the weather service - the storm has lulled, but it's not over. If we're not off the mountain by 5pm, we'll be snowed in for the next two weeks."

You gave a weary sigh, not up for this, but you had to admit she was right.

"Go pack." you ordered Anna, who immediately sprinted from the room.

"Don't be too hard on her." Reckless urged, holding up their hands "Kids make mistakes, you know?"

Comic didn't say anything, but patted you on the shoulder as he passed.

The whole lodge was a flurry of activity as everyone gathered and packed their belongings, dodging around each other with various levels of hangover and regret from last nights game. With her phone destroyed, Anna resorted to writing down the phone numbers of the people she wanted to keep in touch with: Papyrus seemed like a good influence, but you were going to have to tell your foster parents if she insisted on being pen pals with BB and Reckless...

As you were packing up the car, you felt a tap on your shoulder. Red gave you a little wave as you turned to face him.

"mornin', cupcake." he greeted quietly "how ya feelin'?"

"What do you want?" you grumbled, still very not in the mood for people yet.

"not a mornin' person." he joked "noted. anyway, i was hopin' i could get yer number? i'd really like to stay in touch, maybe get to know each other a bit better."

He smiled in a way that you were sure was supposed to be charming, but with your hangover still pulsing away in your head, you weren't even close to humouring him.

"I bet I know why they call you 'Red'." you answered.

That confused him, and he didn't seem to know how to respond.

"um..."

"It's because red flags start flying whenever you open your mouth." you told him "I know you think you're being charming, but honestly the whole 'dark and mysterious' thing is just even more suspicious."

"i-"

"Not finished. You've done business with my father, and that tells me more about you than I would ever care to know. You're going to claim your brother is a 'scientist'? Don't make me laugh."

"that's-"

"Don't interrupt." you scolded "You think you're so smart, but you're not smart enough to realise that people can see right through you - you've got a long way to go before you're half as sneaky as you think you are-!"

You were cut off as you were picked up, suddenly lifted up to the level of Sugars shoulder.

"I think you made the right decision by choosing not to drink." he mentioned "It really doesn't agree with you."

As Red was pulled away by Edge, still opening and closing his mouth like a shocked fish, you realised that Sam was locking up the front door, everyone saying their goodbyes as they got into their cars. Sugar leaned down to drop you into the front passenger seat of his truck before closing the door and walking around to the drivers side.

"sam packed you some brunch." Axe told you, leaning over the back of the chair and handing you a bag "for the trip."

"Looks greasy." you cringed.

"it'll help, trust me."

As Sugar climbed into the car, your phone went off. You had messages from contacts you definitely didn't put in your phone yourself:

TheHotOne: call me.

You looked around. Rus saluted at you with two fingers and a sly wink, before driving off. Embarrassing.

Black_the_Doom_of_All: I LIKE YOUR STYLE! WE SHOULD BE FRIENDS!

PapyrusTheTerrible: I want that salmon recipe. If you give it to me I promise not to give my brother your number.

BEEBEE: We should go skydiving!

Reckless: hey karaoke queen, come on the lash with us anytime ;)

Sam: Sorry, they're going through your phone. I tried to stop them, but they can teleport. Sorry again.

You sighed, turning your phone off.

The snow started to fall gracefully to the ground as Sugar pulled out of the driveway to the bumpy mountain road, the radio whining in complaint a moment before some top 50 something-or-other of the year started up.

Next year, you might just stay at college.

**Author's Note:**

> I've heard several times that everything is someone's first, so if this is your first exposure to this series and you want to read more, you can find the different readers (Survivor, Reckless, and Sam), here:
> 
> Survivor, with the Horror and Fell skeletons: [Love? I Think Not (complete)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17914373/chapters/42296168)
> 
> Reckless, with the Swap boys: [Thoughtless and Reckless (complete...?)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19137559/chapters/45482272)
> 
> Sam, with our classic duo: [The Burning Mountain (ongoing)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19265026/chapters/45815752)
> 
> And the SwapFell skel have their own story here, but it wasn't finished last year when this story was originally written: [K.I.S.S - Keep It Simple, Stupid! (complete)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24601036/chapters/59426146)


End file.
